Date of intake:: 1/13/2026

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray(Unown History)

Date of assessment:: 1/17/2026

Summary:: 1/21/26 Leash Walking Strength and pulling: Loose Reactivity to humans: Ignores Reactivity to dogs: Ingores Leash walking comments: Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Social with familiar handlers, soft body, leans into touch Call over: Readily approaches- Soft body, wags tail Sociability comments: Handling Soft handling: Allowed- leans in, soft body Exuberant handling: Allowed- leans in, soft body, appeasement grin Handling comments: Arousal Jog: Follow- backed away at 1st pass, 2&3rd pass low wag tail Arousal comments: Knock: alert, walks away Knock Comments: Toy: Ignores doesn't approach Toy comments: ***1/17/26: Due to Otter's fearfulness, a handling assessment will not be condcuted at this time. ***

Summary (6):: 1/22/26: Otter is standing at the front of his kennel with a loose and wiggly body as handler approaches. He is able to be leashed while being distracted with treats, and is then taken to the behavior room. In the room, he has a loose and wiggly body as he would approach the handlers to receive treats and pets. He is able to return back to his kennel with no issues. 1/19/26: Otter is standing at the front of his kennel with a tense body as handler approaches. He begins to have a loose wagging tail when the handler offers him treats and he eats them. He allows the handler to slowly leash him while being distracted with treats, and is then taken to the behavior room. In the room, he has a neutral body frame and will become loose and wiggly when the handler speaks to him and offers him treats. He then would lean into the handler to receive a few pets. He’s able to return back his kennel of with no issues. 1/17/26: Otter is approached in kennel and is already at the front, Otter takes treats from the handlers hands through the bars, and when the leash is displayed he will initially hard bark, but when offered treats right after will approach and eat them. A loop is made on the floor and treats are thrown in the middle, Otter will approach, eat the treats and back away a bit anticipating the leash. The handler notices his subtle movements and slowly feeds him more so the leash is out of his peripherals, and slowly leashed. Otter once leashed freezes, but walks out of kennel much quicker. Otter in the room is still low bodied and tucked tail, but is approaching two staff members on his own, taking treats gently. Otter is tossed treats away incase he is scaring himself, but always chooses to reapproach and even engage in some "touch" cues with a staff member. Otter is taken back to kennel where he protest in the room a bit, but is easily put back into kennel with treats.

Summary (7):: 1/16/26: Otter's kennel is soiled and has to be removed from kennel. The familiar handler approaches him in kennel offering him treats and he will walk up to the front, and even take some from the handlers hand through the bars. Although when the leash is presented Otter will hard bark, and back away continuing to hard bark, bare teeth and go into the corner of his kennel. Otter due to be being soiled the handler had to step into the kennel and leash him over his head. Otter will initially hard bark on the first two attempts, but allows the handler to drape the leash over the back of his neck. Otter thrashes a bit, but when the door is opened takes a bit to walk out of kennel on his own. Otter is taken to the behavior office where he is low bodied, tail is tucked between his legs and eyes are dilated. Throughout the time in the office he will engage with treats tossed to him, and multiple handlers hold a conversation while occasionally allowing Otter to approach on his own, and tossed treats away from them to always give him the choice, to which hew ill approach for more. Otter is taken back to kennel where he stops and pancakes, but with treats and bit of leash pressure enters kennel and his leash is taken off with treats tossed between his legs. 1/14/26: Otter's kennel is placed with a treat pouch, and throughout the day is dropped treats. Otter by the end of the day whenever he saw the handler pass by, he walks up to the front of the kennel, back still back away a little when given the treats. 1/14/2026: Otter when approached in kennel is at the back of his kennel growling when approached. Otter is tossed several pieces of high values while the handler remains a distance that is close enough to give him treats, but far enough so he does not feel like he needs to escalate more. Otter will eat the treat tossed to him, but when the handler touches his kennel lock and takes off there leash, he will lunge forward, bare teeth and remain snarling at the front of the door until the handler backs off. Otter will retreat, growling with his ears pinned back, tail tucked between his legs and sits after a bit, his pupils are also very dilated.

Date of intake:: 1/13/2026

Summary:: hard bark, growl, and lunge at staff members. Moose would snarl and bark at a leash when placed agai

Date of initial:: 1/13/2026

Summary:: hard barking, growling and lunging from inside carrier

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

Recommendations:: No children (under 13),Place with a New Hope partner

Recommendations comments:: No children (under 13): We recommend Otter be placed in an adult-only home at this time. Place with a New Hope partner: Otter came into the care center as a stray. Due to this, his behavioral history in a home environment is unknown.Otter has shown fearful defensive behavior in the care cneter and presents with barrier frustration in kennel including growling, hard barking, baring teeth, and retreating when handlers approached or attempted to leash him. He has shown low body posture, tucked tail, dilated pupils, freezing, pancaking, and occasional thrashing when feeling overwhelmed, particularly around leash presentation and kennel exits. Otter has demonstrated improvement with familiar handlers. He is now able to approach faimilar handlers, take treats gently, and allow slow leashing. In quiet environments, Otter becomes loose and wiggly, seeks attention, leans into petting, and engages willingly with familiar staff. He benefits from choice-based interactions and predictability, often reapproaching handlers on his own after brief retreats.Otter would greatly benefit from a New Hope rescue placement that can provide a calm, low-stimulus environment, continued decompression, and patient desensitization to handling and leashing.

Potential challenges: : Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration,Kennel presence,Low threshold for arousal

Potential challenges comments:: Low threshold for arousal/Fearful/potential for defensive aggression: On intake Otter hard bark, growl, and lunge at staff members. Otter would snarl and bark at a leash when placed against the kennel door.Training should prioritize safety, predictable routines, and reducing handling pressure while building positive associations with staff presence and equipment at a controlled pace. Please see the handout on Low threshold for arousal/Fearful/potential for defensive aggression. Kennel presence/barrier frustration: On intake and in the care center otter is noted to hard bark, growl and lunge in his crate/kennel. Otter will eat the treat tossed to him, but when the handler touches his kennel lock and takes off there leash, he will lunge forward, bare teeth and remain snarling at the front of the door until the handler backs off.Training should focus on gradual desensitization to kennel-door interactions, reinforcing calm behavior at a distance, and minimizing trigger stacking to help reduce barrier-related frustration and reactivity. Please see the handout on On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration.