Gretchen, ID# 327982 and Holly, ID# 327983
“Shelter life is a prison for dogs. It’s stressful, scary, and confusing. Some are on death row and will never make it out. Some are afraid and withdrawn in the cage. Others shut down. Others bark and cry, confused as to why they are there and not living the life they once new – even if that life was not one of a happy home. It’s hell for every dog in there. And they respond in different ways. Given that they are masters of reading energy, they KNOW this place is not good.
Whether its abuse, trauma, lack of early developmental support, or simply being completely overwhelmed by the shelter or loss of the only way of life they have ever known, and now having to interact with strangers or dogs they have never experienced – it can be too much for some dogs….
…Fear shows up in a number of ways. Retreat and hide and just pray we’ll all leave them alone. Bark and growl in the hopes we’ll leave them alone. Pressed far enough, a bite may occur in the hopes you will just leave them alone. These dogs don’t want to bite…Most people put far too much pressure on the dog way too fast. Even though your intentions are good, you’re pushing the dog further in their fears.”
—Building Bravery In A Fearful Dog, K9 Coach
On October 19, 2024, Holly and her partner Gretchen, both young German Shepherd mixes were found on the streets, by a Good Samaritan who said he just opened the door to the car and they hopped in. Once at MCAS both Holly and Gretchen were carried into the kennels. On October 26, a shelter manager asked a staff person to see if both dogs could be walked or picked up to assess them for foster care.
At MCAS, every dog’s welfare is sacrificed for speed when those it’s supposed to serve are vulnerable from depressed areas, disadvantaging them at the start. Instead of approaching each dog individually, MCAS focuses on streamlining its vaunted “data collections” to meet expedient deadlines and goals without regard for their fear.
At the outset, a dog’s first experience at MCAS is an intrusive physical exam with vaccinations. This fear-inducing experience becomes the tone setting experience for every dog at the prison we call a shelter. Often fear is met with an over reliance on excessive psychotropics instead of fear-free management practices. No matter how frightened the dog, the goal is a rapid completion of the protocol, e.g. “allow pets to face, neck, muzzle and shoulders without issue.” For example, when a dog is cowering and submitting to intrusions out of fear instead of happily accepting them, they simply treat the protocol as completed and check off their data collections box and move on to the next step.
October 26, 2024; Behavior Notes for Holly,
“Data Collection:
Andrew [Mathias] asked me to see if I was able to walk and/or pick up in able to assess for foster placement. Holly was avoidant of slip lead, but I was able to lasso after a couple of minutes. She attempted crawling up kennel wall, flailed, and pancaked when leash was on, so still unable to walk on lead. I was able to pick up. She froze and was trembling, but displayed no other negative fear based responses to being picked up.”
October 26, 2024; Behavior Notes for Gretchen,
“Data Collection:
Andrew [Mathias] asked me to see if I was able to walk and/or pick up in able to assess for foster placement. Gretchen was avoidant of slip lead, but I was able to lasso with relative ease. She flailed and pan caked when leash was on, so still unable to walk on lead. I was able to pick up. She froze and was trembling, but displayed no other negative fear based responses to being picked up.”
Note that both of these data collections are almost word-for-word exactly the same. No compassion or care goes into these data collections. It’s just a question of how much force is necessary to ‘get the job done.’ It’s a process more fitting with a privatized prison or an assembly line, than a shelter.
On October 31, MCAS separated Gretchen from Holly “to see if that will help them bond more with handlers.”
November 4, 2024; Holly’s Medical update,
“Assessment:
Has recently been separated from kennel mate and her FAS [Fear, anxiety, stress] raised again. Will continue FAS meds for new environment.”
Unsurprisingly, both of their levels of stress increased, especially for Gretchen as this contributed to her developing kennel cough.
November 4, 2024; Gretchen’s Medical update,
“Assessment:
Currently being treated for KC [kennel cough], also recently separated from kennel mate. Will accept some treats near a hand but not from a hand, will continue FAS meds through treatment and transition to new environment.”
MCAS believed that they could force the dogs to rely on the handlers and instead took away an important source of comfort, amplifying their stress. What Holly and Gretchen needed was a thoughtful management plan addressing their fear. What they got was a program that amplified their fear. MCAS has rejected all behavior and training expertise critical to the care of its dogs in favor of force-based practices.
Both were forced into Play Groups, part of MCAS’ “data collection.”
October 31, 2024; Gretchen’s playgroup experience,
“Greeting: Carried into yard by CT.
Entry: Carried into play yard by CT…
Yard Summary: Remained pressed into corner of play yard for some time. Accepted nose to nose sniffs from Athena 328695. More interested in handlers, placing herself near or behind us to avoid other dogs.
Exit: Bumped as she is overwhelmed by other dogs playing.”
October 31, 2024; Holly’s playgroup experience,
“Greeting: Carried into yard by CT, avoidant of coming to fence.
Entry: Resistant to coming into yard. Let Galaxy 272836 into yard to greet her, lifted leg, rolled onto back and showed belly when came in for sniffs.
Yard Summary: Possibly seeking an exit, she darted into play yard. Moved around perimeter of yard on her own, some lip licking at Galaxy. Came in for nose to nose sniffs with Athena 328695. Nervous pacing of play yard throughout and not much interest in other dogs.
Exit: Not enjoying playgroup.”
Their goal should be to keep stress at the lowest level possible, not to overwhelm and flood a fearful dog. At MCAS, uniform protocols precede animal welfare. It is entirely possible to gather information about a dog without forcing stressful encounters. All that is being gathered is how a dog responds to stress.
On November 4, both Gretchen and Holly went to a foster home, with a foster that does care about pacing and allowing them the time to decompress from their traumatic shelter experience. A shelter is not a prison but it is at MCAS where the needs of traumatized animals take second place to the trains running on time.
Gail O’Connell-Babcock
Other sources of guidance about taking care of fearful dogs:
http://fearfuldogs.com/, http://strayrescue.org/
Gretchen’s MCAS Records, redacted
Holly’s MCAS Records, redacted