Tips to Maintain Behavior and Mental Health of Animals in the Shelter
Behavior and mental health of animals in shelters are affected by fulfillment of behavior and mental needs and also physical needs of the animals
By: drh.Mikeu Paujiah, Dipl.Montessori
Every animal has psychological needs that are affected by their species, genetic, social, characteristic and experience.
Behavior maintenance is customized from the animal’s condition and their experience being in a population. Every animal needs their opportunity for physical activities. Animals need an environment that can make them rest comfortably, free from fear, anxiety and have their freedom to express their natural behavior.
There are some things to do when animals enter a shelter to minimize the discomfort and as anticipation when animals act unusual and abnormal
1. Observation when an animal enters the shelter
Make notes about how they behave when they enter the shelter. Notes or observations on animal behavior when they enter the shelter are useful to resolve any behavioral problem that will occur. Also, observing animal behavior when they enter the shelter will help the staff to provide suitable treatment for them. (See 8 points of observing animal in shelter).
2. Minimizing stress
During the process of entering a new place, animals will get scared and anxious. So, the staff need to pay attention. For example: putting the animal in a spot with minimum light, not too noisy and with hiding spaces, food and drink, a spot where they can defecate, sleep and play, that is suitable for their natural behavior. New environment for animals should be able to help them express their natural behavior.
3. Behavioral Evaluation
Behavioral assessment is needed since the animal enters the shelter and continues through their time in the shelter. All of these assessment results must be kept in each animal’s files. This is so that the staff can easily give treatment and provide behavioral needs when they find unusual behavior.
All staff must be trained to recognize animal’s body language and other behaviors that show signs of stress, like anxious, scared, pain, frustration, aggressive, isolating themselves from other animals, scared to be touched, stop eating, and other unusual behaviors.
Staff also should be able to recognize behaviors that show signs of how well they can adapt to the new place, like healthy appetite, sleeping well, socializing with others, playing, etc.
4. Creating a schedule or a routine
Create a routine or regular schedule for the animals. This helps reduce stress. When the schedule is carried out routinely, animals can manage their anxiety rather than unpredicted activity. When is time to eat, play, sleep (dimmed lights). Those schedules must be carried out daily.
Souce :
guideline shelter AVS
