The lastest from the ASPCA

The ASPCA’s Meet Your Match™ SAFER™ (MYM SAFER) assessment program has helped countless animal welfare professionals all over the country identify potential aggression, as well as opportunities for behavior modification, in the animals they seek to adopt out. A survey conducted at the Riverside County, Calif. Department of Animal Services in January 2007 found that 42 percent of dogs that did not receive an MYM SAFER assessment were reported as having aggression, compared to only 18 percent of assessed dogs. The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) acquired the MYM SAFER assessment in May 2007 from developer Dr. Emily Weiss, and it is now part of the ASPCA’s Meet Your Match™ adoption program. MYM SAFER is the pre-requisite for the ASPCA’s Meet Your Match™ Canine-ality™ Adoption program (MYM Canine-ality) which goes beyond the initial aggression assessment. MYM Canine-ality is scientifically designed to match canines and their human companions based on energy level, sociability, and play.

The ASPCA’s Meet Your Match™ Feline-ality™ adoption program (MYM Feline-ality) has helped countless animal welfare professionals all over the country increase adoption rates, as well as decrease return rates, by fostering permanent, successful adoptions. Initial results from the program have been very positive—during Phase III of beta testing from January 2006 to July 2006, adoptions increased by up to 46 percent, while returns and euthanasia numbers decreased by up to 40 percent. In addition, 105 out of 107 adopters reported that they would probably choose a shelter that uses the Meet Your Match™ program when adopting an animal in the future, and rated their satisfaction to the program 9 out of 10. MYM Feline-ality was also developed by Dr. Emily Weiss, and is sponsored by Iams®. Much like MYM Canine-ality, the program assesses the “Feline-ality” of adoptable cats and matches them with their perfect pet parents.


aspca.org