Canines secretly profiled
By Tara Carman
Saanich News
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty Animals is profiling dogs based on secret criteria, and that's causing some growls among animal welfare groups who claim the criteria make it easier to euthanize dogs.
The process is called Dog Temperament Assessment 4 (DTA4), as it is the fourth version of the test. It's already been implemented in many parts of the Lower Mainland and will used in Victoria starting in September.
The actual assessment criteria are not available to the public. This is because the assessment test is based on research by Dr. Rebecca Ledger that is not yet published, said BC-SPCA spokeswoman Nadine Gourkow, who was happy to reference several veterinary journals where parts of the research could be found.
"This test is like taking the animal's temperature," Gourkhow said, emphasizing it is just one of many things taken into consideration by the SPCA when assessing a dog for adoption. "This is a tool to determine which dogs are adoptable and which are not."
The test does three things, she said. It identifies dogs that are highly prone to stress, provides a personality profile to determine what kind of home the dog needs and identifies the behaviour programs necessary to treat the dog.
Sections of the DTA4 training manual obtained by the News show that the assessment consists of eight tests, including standing in front of the kennel staring at the dog, grooming the dog and playing tug of war with the dog. Responses such as growling, tail wagging and eye contact are recorded. The dog is then classified into a colour-coded group: green for those with a good chance of being rehabilitated, red for those whose chances for recovery are slim, and yellow or orange for those in between. The assessment takes about 15 minutes and is conducted by SPCA staff specially trained in the method.
Jenn Wagnor of the Big Heart Rescue Society, an organization that rehabilitates abused and neglected dogs, says DTA4 results in the unnecessary euthanizing of treatable animals. "The bottom line of it is that dogs are dying that shouldn't be," Wagnor said. She says her own dog, a husky called Teeko, would have been euthanized under DTA4. Teeko was abandoned and left chained up for over a month, when his owners were evicted. He was emaciated when found. His stomach was full of rocks, sticks and grass, and someone had poisoned him. "There's always going to be cases (where euthanasia is necessary). But this assessment tool is not the way to find that out. A dog lunging, a dog growling... these are normal things that dogs do," Wagnor said.
Gourkow disagrees. She says critics of DTA4 need to differentiate between the decision-making process and the final decision, which is influenced by a number of factors.
"What there seems to be controversy about is euthanasia. If (the critics) have a problem with us euthanizing dogs, it has nothing to do with this tool," Gourkow said. "We have a zero tolerance for the euthanasia of adoptable animals, but we do not adopt out dogs that have been found to be untreatable," she adds.
The DTA4 assessment is made the second day the animal is at the shelter, which is a problem for Wagnor. "A dog will not be more traumatized than the first time (it) wakes up in the shelter," she said.
Peni Fitzpatrick, a professional dog trainer with 20 years experience, says this provokes aggressive behaviour. "Definitely staring down the dog inside a cage is absolutely the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. You're challenging the dog... I would never do that," she said. "Why are you trying to challenge a dog that's already fearful? How the hell is he supposed to respond?"
The first test consists of staring at the dog outside the kennel for one minute without speaking or breaking eye contact.
But the training manual says that if the dog displays aggressive behaviour (defined as ears forward, tail high, direct stare, snarl, growl, hackles, lunging and barking) during this first test, the assessment ends there.
"In 100% of these cases, the dogs are highly aggressive in other circumstances and are not safe to be re-homed," the manual says. "Subsequently, there is no point to continue with the assessment."
Fitzpatrick says she would assess the dogs before they even arrive at the shelter, outside, in an environment where the dog is comfortable. "I want to meet the dog and know who he really is," Fitzpatrick said, adding that isn't possible during a 15-minute assessment.