Working with FIDO: Pilot Testing the Field Instantaneous Dog Observation (FIDO) tool in the Animal Shelter Environment

Abstract

In the United States, approximately three to four million dogs enter animal shelters each year. These dogs must cope with unfamiliar caretakers and conspecifics in a novel, often loud, environment which can negatively impact their welfare. It is therefore important to evaluate the welfare of dogs housed in animal shelters and assist those that are having difficulty coping with their new environments. Here we aimed to pilot test the behavioral component of the Field Instantaneous Dog Observation (FIDO) tool, a non-invasive tool designed for the assessment of kennel dog welfare, in a shelter environment. Upon the approach of a stranger, dogs were scored as either Green (affiliative or neutral response), Yellow (ambivalent response), or Red (fearful response). Inter-rater reliability (IRR) between four novice raters using the FIDO tool, and agreement between novice raters and an expert in canine behavior were evaluated. In addition, changes in dog response based upon caretaker presence or absence were explored. Overall, most dogs were scored as Green in response to approach (>79% of sample across studies). Cohen’s kappa test revealed that novice raters had moderate levels of agreement (k=0.41, 86% percent agreement), while the agreement between novice raters and the expert was substantial (k=0.77, 91% percent agreement). Finally, Wilcoxon signed-rank test revealed no statistically significant difference in dogs’ responses to approach whether the caretaker was present or absent. The FIDO tool has the potential to provide rapid insight into a dog's behavioral status in a shelter environment and can be quickly and reliably taught to novice users as a practical evaluative tool.