Enclosures for cats should be large enough to allow them to stretch, groom, and move about while maintaining separate functional areas, at least 2 ft apart, for sleeping, eating and elimination. Unfortunately, many animal shelter facilities in the United States are equipped with small cages (e.g. 1.5–2.5 ft wide) that are inadequate for proper housing of cats. Double‐sided enclosures (e.g. cat condos) generally afford more adequate space and have the benefit of easily allowing cats to remain securely in one side of the enclosure while the opposite side is cleaned. Traditional cages can be modified into condo‐style enclosures by creating portals to adjoin two or three smaller cages. See Figure 2.2a and b. Runs can also be used to house cats and are especially useful for co‐housing cats, as well as for stays that exceed two weeks. Larger enclosures allow for better air circulation, which is also an important consideration for control of feline URIs. Regardless of the housing dimensions and arrangement, a variety of elevated resting perches and hiding boxes should be provided to increase the size and complexity of the living space, and to separate it into different functional areas, allowing a variety of behavioral options. The physical environment should always include opportunities for hiding, playing, scratching, climbing, resting, feeding, and eliminating.
For dogs, indoor‐outdoor access is generally preferred, but whatever the arrangement, dogs should be able to see out to observe their environment. While it is important for dogs to see out of their enclosures, enclosures that are arranged side by side should have solid sides to prevent direct contact with dogs in adjacent enclosures, and visual barriers should be provided on the front and back ends of enclosures as needed to shield occupants from stressful stimuli. Outside areas should provide protection from excessive sun, rain and wind. See Figure 2.3. Runs must be large enough to allow a dog to move about freely, and a clean, comfortable bed should be available for resting in a secure location. Double‐sided enclosures are always preferred because they allow dogs to eliminate away from resting and feeding areas. (Though shelters often place dogs on both sides of the enclosure, this practice should be discouraged whenever possible because it defeats the goal of double‐sided housing to provide an easily cleaned, enriched environment.) The addition of three‐dimensional space (such as platforms, steps, or ramps) may be beneficial when space permits (Hubrecht 1993; Loveridge 1998; Overall 2005).
Figure 2.2 (a and b). Conversion of existing cages into condo‐style units can be accomplished via the installation of a portal between cages by cutting a hole through the walls of adjacent cages and installing a section of PVC pipe with corresponding rims.
Figure 2.3 Outdoor section of a row of double‐sided kennel runs. Indoor‐outdoor kennel runs afford dogs with separate areas for resting and elimination. Note that solid sides prevent direct contact among dogs in adjacent runs, while the ends of the runs are partially unobscured to allow occupants to safely look out at their surroundings if they choose to do so.
The success of the adaptation of cats and dogs to novel environments depends on both the quality of the environment and the adaptive capacity of the animal. With proper behavioral wellness protocols in place, most animals will adapt and successfully cope with shelter life in the short term. However, some will never adjust and will remain stressed indefinitely, resulting in the decline of physical as well as emotional health. Novel environments tend to be especially stressful for poorly socialized and geriatric cats and dogs. Geriatric animals generally benefit from placement in foster care. The housing of feral cats should be avoided whenever possible; healthy feral and free‐roaming cats can benefit from appropriately managed neuter and return programs in which healthy cats are vaccinated, surgically sterilized, and returned to their original site of capture (e.g. their home base).
The importance of proper staff training to recognize and prevent stress is critical for animal welfare and cannot be overemphasized. Long‐term behavioral coping is extremely difficult for most animals, thus behavioral deterioration can be expected as LOS increases. This further underscores the importance of employing management strategies that minimize each animal's time in the shelter while maximizing the best outcomes.
2.8 Enrichment
Enrichment refers to a process for improving the environment and behavioral care of confined animals within the context of their behavioral needs. The purpose of enrichment is to reduce stress and improve wellbeing by providing physical and mental stimulation, encouraging species‐typical behaviors, and allowing animals more control over their environment. Successful enrichment programs prevent the development and display of abnormal behavior and provide for the psychological wellbeing of the animals.
The ASV Guidelines state that “enrichment should be given the same significance as other components of animal care and should not be considered optional.” It is not a task that can be neglected on busy days; instead, it bears repeating that it is a fundamentally important, core component of daily routine animal care that should be a part of every shelter's wellness protocol. Enrichment can be therapeutic and should be tailored to meet the needs of individual animals and improve behavioral health and emotional wellbeing. Enrichment opportunities for animals being treated for infectious disease are just as important as for healthy animals but must be tailored to meet their individual conditions and utilize appropriate biosecurity measures to minimize the risk of disease transmission. Ultimately, enrichment reduces stress and promotes positive emotional states.
Perhaps the most effective enrichment in a shelter is a trained animal care staff that enjoy working with animals and that are willing and able to spend ample quality time interacting with them daily to ensure social contact and tractability. Cats and dogs become accustomed to daily routines and generally respond strongly to their human caregivers. Whenever possible, caregivers should be assigned to care for the same animals on a regular basis and preferably at the same time each day so that they become aware of the habits and personality of each animal. This familiarity is necessary for better detection of physical or behavioral problems and enables staff to make better adoption matches. Caregivers should schedule time each day to interact with “their” animals in addition to the activities of feeding and cleaning. Some cats and dogs may prefer to be petted and handled while others will prefer to interact via a toy (e.g. cats chasing dangling feathers or dogs fetching a ball). Regular aerobic exercise is essential for dogs; the intensity and duration are defined by the individual's needs. Many dogs benefit greatly from participation in play‐groups. Health, age, gender and reproductive