They Did It: Reinvented How They Talk About Behavior in Shelter Animals

What’s the best way to describe a dog with fear-based behavior without turning off potential adopters? How can behavior concerns be addressed in an empathetic way? What’s a creative way to describe a pet who needs to be the only animal in the home?

To answer these questions and more, Kara Montalbano, Director of Marketing and Community Relations at the Potter League in Warwick, RI, and James Pumphrey, Executive Director of the Wenatchee Valley Humane Society (WVHS) in Wenatchee, WA, were featured guests in a Shelter Behavior Roundtable titled Changing How We Talk About Dog and Cat Behavior.

The roundtable was hosted by Amy Duskiewicz, Director of Partnerships and Engagement, ASPCA Learning Lab, and Dr. Miranda Workman, Director, Shelter Behavior Education and Outreach.

Kara and James collectively have more than 40 years of hands-on animal welfare experience, both beginning by volunteering at their local shelters. At their respective organizations, Kara and James have rolled out new programs for treating animals with behavior challenges, as well as standard operating procedures (SOPs) on how to talk about cat and dog behavior to volunteers, the public, and potential adopters. Download resources [ZIP] that support the tactics they share.

Q. Why did you zero in on behavior programs and messaging? And why now?

Kara: We need to have open conversations when talking with volunteers, the public, and potential adopters about animal behavior. There are a million ways people can acquire a pet, so half the battle is getting people in our building. We put so much work into behavior and it deserves the same spotlight as our cruelty response and medical cases. People come to us for behavior resources because they know we’re comfortable talking about it. Our SOPs have been in place since 2018, and we review them regularly. They not only guide our pathway planning but serve as a tool for reference and training and as guidelines when talking with potential adopters. 

James: We’ve seen an increase in dogs with behavior conditions entering our system, but if we can reduce the length of stay (LOS), transition them into homes, and support adopters, everybody wins. Shelters should be transparent about what they’re seeing and what they can handle. We want to set our animals up for success. We’re always looking to provide more resources to pet owners and adopters and asking ourselves, "How can our programs better serve our community, pets, and people?”

Additionally, we’ve seen, in cases of economic downturn, issues like housing concerns, fewer resources that can be allocated by families for pets, and separation distress in pets when people aren’t home. Anecdotally, these factors create lower tolerance toward pets with behavior issues.

Q: What language do you use in your programs and bios? What terms do you avoid?

James: We use positive terms for plans that focus on the emotional state we’re working toward. For instance, dogs exhibiting fear-based behavior are enrolled as "Heroic Hounds" because this is the behavior we want to reinforce and encourage. It’s designed to help fearful dogs build confidence. Dogs with behaviors related to high arousal or mouthing are enrolled as "Polished Pups" to focus on capturing and rewarding calm behavior. With the focus on achieving a successful transition, we have more impact on the dog while also making the work rewarding for the person interacting with the dog. The Pygmalion effect is a psychological phenomenon in which high expectations lead to improved performance, while low expectations lead to poor performance. 

We rolled out our program in December 2023 after working with Marissa Martino, a behavior consultant with Paws and Reward, to design a program that meets the needs of our animals by reducing their fear, anxiety, and stress, increasing safety for everyone, reducing LOS, and preparing them for adoption. This approach offers clarity and motivation to staff and volunteers and increases trust and partnership with adopters. Our next phase will be cat behavior. For us, owner-surrendered cats spend a longer amount of time in our shelter but have additional available outcomes over dogs such as barn or working cat placements.

Kara: We opt for straightforward language rather than jargon like "forever home" and "fur baby”, and we present medical and behavioral needs as manageable conditions. The goal of the bio is to spark interest; we then rely on staff and volunteers to engage in more detailed discussions. We avoid negative words like "can’t" and "won’t". For example, we’ll market a pair of shy, bonded cats as a “package deal who find comfort in each other and will flourish in a quiet home." If a potential adopter is considering an animal who doesn’t like loud noises, we’ll ask them what kind of traffic or activity goes on in their home. We want to zero in on the best possible match. 

Q. How do you work with potential adopters?

James:  We explain our behavior treatment plans during meet and greet sessions to set the animal up for success. We preset expectations and activities and provide real examples and demonstrate how to redirect behavior during this session. We also realize that behavior can be a moment in time and doesn’t necessarily define who they are, so we are careful to investigate triggers. Acute or chronic conditions apply to behavior like in medicine and can be effectively managed or treated until they go away. We focus on solutions, not problems. For example, "Milo needs you to go slow”, and here’s how you do that.

Kara:  We have open conversations with potential adopters and avoid terms that reinforce stigmas, like jumpy-mouthy and shy-fearful. The language we use empowers adopters to make an informed decision. 

Q. What are some key takeaways from your programs?

James: We know behavior modification—a term we avoid—is difficult in a shelter environment. We prefer the terms "treatment" or "intervention." Our goal should always be, “Is this workable, and could an adopter follow through?" We think about behavior in an empathetic way; for example, we don’t label dogs as aggressive or fearful, because that’s the behavior condition, not the dog. We tailor our marketing to our community, which is very outdoorsy. For example, we call huskies “hiking pals,” which highlights the benefits of adopting that breed. It’s important that people have realistic expectations and that we match those expectations with a dog’s individual needs and personality.

Kara: We don’t get stuck in, "This is how we’ve always done it." For example, we don’t evaluate behavior in our shelter anymore. We assess animals based on their history and conversations with former owners, transfer partners, and fosters. There are a lot of factors in getting a true picture of who this animal is vs. a snapshot of what they’re like in the shelter. Our approach encourages a sense of engagement and connection, emphasizing the unique qualities of each pet without resorting to clichés or superficial language. The goal is to foster a genuine connection between the potential adopter and the animal, steering away from marketing gimmicks.

Q. What tips do you have for addressing behavior in your bios?

Kara: 

• Make a connection and highlight why each pet will make a great addition to an adopter’s life. 
• Emphasize the positive aspects of an animal's personality, choosing adjectives that make potential adopters feel excited about connecting with the pet. 
• Avoid making behavioral or health issues the primary focus. 
• Pay attention to tone and language and avoid negative words. For example, instead of “dislikes,” use “prefers.” Instead of “can’t,” say, “has difficulty” or “may struggle with.” Turn negatives into positives like, “does best with dogs his size or larger” instead of “isn’t good with small dogs.” 
• Don’t describe what an adopter “should” do or what an animal “needs to have.” It can come off as bossy and make a pet sound high maintenance. 
• Avoid gimmicks and steer clear of exaggerated language or overly sweet or cutesy phrases that come across as insincere.
• Adopt a second-person perspective. Address the reader with statements like, "You'll love Max's smile!" This can create a personal and relatable experience for the prospective adopter.

James: 

• Keep bios honest and positive. They’ll have more impact if they’re written from an empathetic lens—for the pet and prospective adopter both. 
• Focus on the pet's needs and align them with adopters' lifestyles. 
• Include relevant highlights about the pet’s behavior and medical needs while keeping the bio catchy and engaging. 
• We don’t always have a lot of background, so we only share what we know to be true and avoid definitive statements. 
• Behavior changes depending on the environment and external influences and the dog’s emotional responses to those stimuli. For example, if a dog is good with other dogs in playgroups, we might say, "Milo has lots of dog playmates at the shelter" instead of, “Milo is great with other dogs.”  
• Don’t be afraid to use humor and get creative. You might articulate the need for a dog to be the only dog in the home by stating, “Milo prefers to be center stage and would do best in a home where he’s the star.”