Safe Animal Handling Part 2

Safe Animal Handling
SPCA of Texas
Animal Behavior Programs
2015
Part 2

• General rules for handling shelter animals
• Protect your skin
• Protect your face
• Disease Control
• Shapes
• What are they
• How they are selected
• How to handle animals based on shapes
• Kennel Tags
• Routing Tags
• Animals sharing space
• Mothers with litters

Protect Us, Protect Them
It is your responsibility to
protect exposed skin from any
accidental scratches or bites. You
may use a towel or blanket to
cover exposed skin if you are
interacting with a jumpy/mouthy
pet or a pet with sharp
claws/teeth.
If you are dealing with a
member of the public or
potential adopter* it is your
responsibility to protect them as
well. You can provide them with
a towel or blanket to cover
exposed skin or wrap the animal
up.
* Only volunteers who have had
Adoption Counseling training are
allowed to introduce pets to potential
adopters.

Protect Your Skin
There are fingerless gloves in all of the cat areas.
These gloves allow you the freedom to control
the animal with your fingers while protecting
your skin from scratches and bites.

Protect Your Face
Because your face and neck
are always exposed, you
must be careful to avoid
accidents and injuries. Also,
we can share various disease
with animals, called Zoonotic
diseases, such as ringworm,
various parasites and some
bacteria.
You don’t have to come in dressed
like Bane, just keep the animals away
from your face.

Protect Your Face
Hovering over an animal or
bending towards an animal’s
face can be threatening to the
animal and make them feel
unsafe. When animals feel
unsafe they can behave in
ways that can cause injuries
to us such as jumping or
biting.

Protect Your Face
Turn your side to the
animal.
When leashing or
interacting with an
animal, turn your side
so that your face is not
directly above the
animal.

Protect Your Face
Do not straddle an
animal.
Although straddling may
seem like a good idea to
give certain medications
or fit a collar, it can make
the animal feel
threatened and it puts
you in a physically
vulnerable position. You
may get injured by a
jumping dog.

Disease Control
Disease spread very easily in shelters and are
most commonly spread by human handlers!
Sanitize your hands or wash your hands in
between every animal.
Puppies and kittens are especially vulnerable so
you are required to place a barrier, such as a
pillowcase or a towel, in between you and the
baby animal if you carry them. You can also
wrap the animal up in one of these items.

Disease Control
Disease spread very easily in shelters and are
most commonly spread by human handlers!
Sanitize your hands or wash your hands in
between every animal.
Puppies and kittens are especially vulnerable so
you are required to place a barrier, such as a
pillowcase or a towel, in between you and the
baby animal. You can also wrap the animal up in
one of these items.

Animals are given a “shape” when they enter
our shelters based on their behavior. The
shapes are:
Circle – Very easy to handle, require little skill.
Triangle – Requires a bit of skill, may jump up or
pull on leash, may be a bit fearful.
Square – require the most skill, likely to pull
hard on leash, be jumpy or mouthy or be very
fearful.

Kennel Paperwork
Be sure to review all paperwork and kennel
tags before handling any animal.
Kennel Card Medical/Behavioral History

Kennel Paperwork
Name

Kennel Paperwork
Name
Animal ID & Adoption Fee

Kennel Paperwork
Name
Source – Where did
the animal come from

Kennel Paperwork
Name
SPCA Tag is Shape

Kennel Paperwork
Name
SPCA Tag is Shape
Location

Kennel Paperwork
Name
SPCA Tag is Shape
Location
Sex, Age, Weight

Kennel Paperwork
Name
SPCA Tag is Shape
Location
Sex, Age, Weight
Breed

Kennel Paperwork
Name
SPCA Tag is Shape
Location Intake information
Sex, Age, Weight
Breed

Kennel Paperwork
Name
SPCA Tag is Shape
Spay/Neuter
Surgery
information
Sex, Age, Weight
Breed

Kennel Paperwork
Name
SPCA Tag is Shape
Spay/Neuter
Surgery
information
Vaccinations
Sex, Age, Weight
Breed

Kennel Paperwork
Name
SPCA Tag is Shape
Spay/Neuter
Surgery
information
Vaccinations
Below the Vaccination records will be detailed
Vet Check History and BVAL History
Sex, Age, Weight
Breed

Routing Tags
Routing Tags designate everything from where the animal is in the adoption
process (e.g. “Vet Check Pending,” “Surgery Pending”) and how to interact with
the animal (“Go Slow,” “Bring Toys and Treats”) to the condition of the kennel
(“Clean” or “Dirty”).

Volunteers aren’t allowed to handle animals
with these tags until they have received the
required trainings.
Use Caution
Needs Evaluation
Needs SAFER
Stray
24 Hour Hold
BVAL Pending
This animal has displayed aggressive behavior.
This animal still needs medical evaluation.
This animal has not been behaviorally evaluated.
Stray animal waiting to be transferred to city shelter.
We are not a stray hold facility.
This animal is being given 24 hours to calm down and
then reassess. Usually behavioral hold.
Someone has written a BVAL for this animal and it has
not yet been seen by the Behavior Department
Vet Check Pending
Someone has written a Vet Check for this animal and
it has not yet been seen by the Veterinarian.
Free Feed
This animal has FAILED the food gaurding portion of
the behavior assessment.

Free Feed Animals
If a dog FAILS their Food Guarding test by displaying
aggressive behavior, we will allow this animal to have a
large, full bowl of dry food at all times for 72 hours and
then retest it.
If you see a dog with a “Free Feed” sign that is missing
food or running low please alert a staff member. If you
are a staff member it may be your responsibility to fill the
dog’s bowl.
• Do not give food or treats unless you’re assigned to
do so.

Your attention is needed when you see
these Routing Tags.
Observation
This animal is under observation for medical or
behavioral reasons. Please observe the animal and
record your observations on the Observation Log
(Ob. Log) that is attached.
Fecal Me
A fecal sample is needed from this animal so that it can
be dewormed.
Meds/TX This animal is being treated with medication. For
more information on what is being treated,
review the Medical History. This animal is usually
okay to handle unless it has a Contagious Sign.
Door Darter
Be careful when going in and out of this
animal’s kennel because it has a history of
escaping.
Fearful animal, go slow.

Animals Sharing Space
Never place two or more animals
in the same kennel or run
together unless they have been
assigned by shelter staff to live
together (litters or pair bonded).
In most cases cats and dogs
should be crated separately.
Exceptions may be when the
animals are very small and very
good friends or when it is a
mother animal with a litter.

Mothers Animals with Litters
Mother animals often behave defensively around their offspring, even
if they are normally friendly. Coming into the shelter is worrisome for
all animals, but for those with puppies and kittens to worry about, it is
especially so.
Use these guidelines for interacting with mothers and their offspring.
– Go slowly.
– Keep your eye on the mother.
– Speak gently to the mother.
– If a mother dog freezes, gets very still, or stares at you, avert your
eyes, casually move away.
– If a mother cat hisses, growls or pulls away, slowly move away.
– Remove the mother from the kennel FIRST, before moving the puppies
or kittens.
– Do not lean over a mother animal at any time.
Staff Handle Only

Safe Animal Handling Part 2

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