Using FAS in animal shelters.
In the world of animal care, understanding and managing fear, anxiety, and stress is essential for creating environments where animals can be their best selves. Fear Free has developed a tool known as the FAS scale sheet, which helps caregivers identify and address the emotional status of animals through observing their behaviours and providing a score. This is especially useful in shelter, veterinary or boarding-like environments.
What is the FAS Scale?
The FAS scoring sheet is a systematic tool used to measure an animal's level of fear, anxiety, and stress. Each animal is observed and given a score based on specific behavioural responses that indicate how the animal may be feeling. The FAS scale typically uses a numerical system, often ranging from 0 to 5, where a score of 0 indicates no visible signs of fear, anxiety, or stress, and a score of 5 signals extreme distress or panic.
The scoring focuses on both physical and behavioural indicators. Physical signs might include trembling, panting, or changes in posture, while behavioural signs could involve pacing, hiding, or aggressive behaviour. The goal is to identify early signs of distress so that appropriate interventions can be made to improve the animal’s wellbeing.
How can FAS scoring be used in animal sheltering?
Animal shelters are places where animals often face high levels of stress, despite a shelters best efforts to providing a stress reducing environment. This is because animal shelters are a new and unnatural environment, filled with the consistent movement of unfamiliar people, noises including other dogs barking, and the presence of other animals can contribute to significant fear and anxiety, or even increase arousal which can cause trigger stacking and lead to aggression use in animals who do not typically use aggression. By using the FAS system, shelter staff can better understand how each animal is coping with these challenges at different points during their shelter stay.
Here’s how FAS can be implemented in an animal shelter:
Initial Assessment: From the time of arrival in the shelter environment, an animal’s behaviour should be observed. This allows the team to tailor an animal’s care plan from the outset.
Monitoring Over Time: The FAS score can be revisited regularly to track any changes in the animal’s stress levels. This is particularly useful when an animal’s behaviours progresses or regresses, helping caregivers adjust their approach to match the animal’s current needs.
Environmental Adjustments: If an animal’s FAS score is high, it can indicate that their environment is contributing to their stress. Shelter staff can use this information to modify the animal’s surroundings, such as reducing noise, limiting exposure to other animals, or providing more hiding spaces.
Behavioural Interventions: Once an animal’s emotional state is better understood, specific interventions, such as force-free, pro-choice handling, enrichment activities, or training to reduce fear-based behaviours, can be implemented to improve emotional states and increase wellbeing.
Communication Tool: The FAS score sheet also serves as a communication tool between shelter staff and volunteers both ways. It ensures that everyone involved in the animal’s care is on the same page regarding its emotional state and progress, helping to create a cohesive approach to handling and treatment.
Benefits of using FAS Scoring in shelters -
Improved Animal Welfare: By identifying fear, anxiety, and stress early on, shelters can intervene quickly to minimise these emotional states, improving the overall welfare of the animals in their care. Addressing these issues can help reduce the likelihood of long-term behaviour problems or health issues linked to chronic stress.
Enhanced Adoption Outcomes: Animals that are less stressed and anxious are more likely to display desirable behaviours to potential adopters. Using the FAS score sheet to reduce stress and anxiety can ultimately help more animals find homes, as they will be able to better interact with potential families.
Consistent Care Across the Team: With a standardised tool, all shelter staff, including volunteers, can understand the emotional state of an animal and follow a consistent approach to its care. This helps reduce the chances of inadvertently adding stress to the animals and improves behaviour modification outcomes.
Reduction in Euthanasia Rates: Animals that are less fearful and anxious may be more likely to engage in behaviour modification programs that work to make them manageable and safe for rehoming, which can contribute to lower euthanasia rates.
Introducing FAS Scoring to a Shelter Team
Implementing the FAS scoring system in an animal shelter requires team engagement. Here are steps for introducing FAS scoring to your team of animal carers or volunteers. Begin by providing training for all staff and volunteers on the importance of fear, anxiety, and stress in animals, and how the FAS score sheet works. Offer hands-on demonstrations to show how to assess and interpret an animal’s behaviour and use the scoring system effectively.
Next, look at incorporate FAS scoring into daily routines so that it becomes a regular part of animal care. Encourage staff to observe animals at different times of day and under various circumstances to get a well-rounded picture of their emotional state. Adding a space for FAS scoring on observation or in-care documentation can help support this.
Collaboration is everything in a shelter space! Foster a team approach to the FAS system, where staff members can share their observations and discuss interventions that can help alleviate stress. This collaborative process helps ensure that every animal receives the best care possible, and allows teams to practice their learning practically. Once the FAS scores are being recorded consistently, review the data regularly to identify trends or patterns. If certain animals are consistently showing high stress levels, it may indicate a need for changes in their environment, care protocols, or handling practices.
As FAS scoring leads to positive changes in animal welfare, celebrate these victories as a team. This recognition not only boosts morale but also reinforces the importance of emotional care in animal welfare.
The FAS scoring system is a powerful tool for understanding and improving the emotional wellbeing of animals in shelters. By assessing and addressing fear, anxiety, and stress, shelters can create a safer, more comfortable environment for animals, leading to better health, behaviour, and adoptability. For shelter teams, incorporating FAS scoring into daily practices strengthens their ability to offer compassionate and thoughtful care. By making this tool a standard part of your shelter’s practices, you are investing in the wellbeing of the animals, which ultimately leads to a more successful and fulfilling shelter experience for everyone involved, as well as positive outcomes for homeless pets.
