Post by Laura on Jan 31, 2004 17:39:30 GMT -5
Temperament Testing – Comments and Quotes from Miscellaneous Sources
I’m just back from the No More Homeless Pets Conference. Merritt Clifton [editor of Animal People newspaper] was a speaker on the discussion panels, and today he said to the room of 420+ people that temperament tests should be done away with, that they are worthless and he has the stats and research to back up his claim.
~Kathy in Pennsylvania, 10/26/03
The temperament test is supposed to weed out aggressive dogs before they even mix with the other dogs in a shelter, much less get adopted. … Catherine Crawmer and Sue Sternberg are two of the leading animal behaviorists in the [Albany, N.Y.] area, and they have two very different opinions about what a temperament test should be used for. Sue Sternberg’s temperament test is used at the Animal Protective Foundation in Scotia,…as we saw when we did our first report on the number of dogs failing the test and being put down. The Mohawk-Hudson animal shelter takes a different approach. “We can work with the dog here,” says Catherine Crawner. Sue Sternberg says too few, not too many, dogs are being euthanised in Capital District shelters.
“If they are in the Northeast and they have a high euthanasia rate, I would say okay. I know that most of the dogs coming into shelters in large cities are not family pet dogs, they have fight backgrounds and guarding backgrounds,” says Sternberg. Catherine Crawmer says at Mohawk-Hudson, they…test differently. “Our test is more hands-on, we give more time considering we can change a dog’s behavior,” says Crawmer. … The debate roars on over how shelters decide which animals will live and which will die. … Aggression can be in the eye of the tester.
~“Putting the Temperament Test to the Test” (excerpts), WTEN-TV (News 10 ABC), Albany, NY; undated (posted 9/28/03)
Killing animals on the basis of a temperament test is such a horrendous crime that those who do it have to become hardened in their defense of the theory in order to justify their crime. Sue Sternberg is a lousy trainer who justifies her inability by labeling her students as dangerous and uneducable. Imagine the uproar if this were suggested as a way of sorting students at inner city schools.
~Francis Battista, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, 8/11/03
Temperament Testing – Comments from
Attendees at Sue Sternberg’s Seminars
I attended several of [Sue Sternberg’s] temperament testing seminars here in Los Angeles where she used Pasadena Humane Society dogs. … I found her training a real eye opener. And I was a fan. HOWEVER, back then…the pitch [was]: “If you are a shelter and you must kill 50 dogs tonight, here is a way to decide which 50 must go.”. … But that is not how these tests are being used here. What has happened is Maddies Fund. Lots of money being waived at shelters who become “no kill.” And now city and county shelters can become “no kill” OVERNIGHT! … This is why I want to see temperament testing in a shelter outlawed. … I think that just working with and watching and observing a dog is best.
~Carol in Los Angeles, 10/8/03
I worked at a local humane society here in Colorado. … I attended [Sue Sternberg’s] seminar last year. I found her temperament test…educational to see a dog’s strengths and weaknesses. Yet I found [her] to be a very disturb [sic] woman. Some of the dogs (all from the shelter) that she evaluated and failed were happy-go-lucky dogs that just failed one part of the temp. test. I found her to be a woman that is very afraid of certain breeds (small and large). It appalls me that this woman goes around the country doing seminars.
~Lisa in Colorado, 10/03
Two years ago…a [Sue Sternberg] clinic was presented at a well attended conference. Sadly, I think many in attendance saw this as a way to soothe the horrid guilt that goes with the killing done every day. Others who inquired about the “what ifs” – with logical and well thought out questions were put off by [Sternberg]. She had dogs brought in that day from local pounds. One dog, a very timid girl, didn’t stand a chance with [Sternberg]. Later in the day, films were shown of the testing tactics. It was not unlike watching torture. The “testing” went on and on until a negative reaction was seen. The pressure these animals were under was inhumane. None of the dogs I’ve ever shared a home with in my lifetime would “pass.” … I see two elements here: the all-knowing [Sternberg] needs to be called for what she is: a greedy power-monger; and the public needs to know the real cost of “no-kill.”
~Marie in New Jersey, 9/27/03
I have been to one of Sue Sternberg’s seminars. She would have euth’d 4 out of the 5 dogs she used as demos…. [Sue] even said that her own 5 dogs would never have passed the test, that most of the dogs over 35 lbs. in the NE need to be euthanized, and she very much stressed that adoptions were a business, and what we wanted here was to boost our business….
~Mindy in New York, 10/03
Temperament Testing – Comments from
Attendees at Sue Sternberg’s Seminars
Seminar Attendees – pg. 2
This was not [Sternberg’s] personal seminar. It was the Petfinder seminar “Adoption Options” I think was the name. … She honestly seemed to get bent out of shape when I started writing. I wasn’t taking notes about the training…. I was taking notes on her comments about how a majority of the dogs in the NE need to be PTS [“put to sleep”; i.e., euthanized]. … Dogs from the LASPCA were brought in. … There was a small Lab- looking mix named Sage. She melted when you touched her but she was as shy as could be. She responded WONDERFULLY to Sue’s training and was wagging her tail for [Sue]…We took a break…and I overheard Sue…comment about how she would put the dog down. … After the break we sat back down… I had pen and paper and started writing notes. She stopped everything and told me it was NOT necessary to take notes, everyone learned from her without notes. The next dog was Oliver, a little Chow-y mix about 6 months old. … He was full of energy and love. Because he EAGERLY took a piece of cheese from [Sue] she indicated that she would choose him for euthanizing, to a loud chorus of gasps from the crowd. … I spent 20 minutes before leaving making sure Sage and Oliver were NOT going to be put down…. Seems even the LASPCA isn’t too thrilled by her methods. Once outside the meeting room Sue avoided me and several others who were trying to question her….
~Tammy in Louisiana, 10/11/03
The first person to speak [at the MPDRA Conference] was Sue Sternberg. … The only thing she [chose] to speak about…was dog-on-dog aggression. She…brought out three shelter dogs she had never met before. … The test was basically to see how long it would take a dog to key off a…happy dog. … [Later I] went to Assess A Pet…to learn a new way to handle dogs. I have yet to have any opinion on Temperament Testing at all, let alone AAP…. We got 45 minutes to learn as much as possible about Assess A Pet. … Most importantly [Sternberg] does not believe any animal under 35 lbs should not be put down…and she attempted to clear up several other rumors. … Several times [she] made reference to a tape recorder (“move closer so it can come through clearer” and “you can turn it off now”), also other statements such as, with her eyes referring to those taking notes, “be sure to take this down” while she was clearing up the rumors. … I learned that setting up a program to kill dogs can make a person an insane amount of money if done right. … I mainly learned that I should have stayed with the trainer that I had already found and been happy with. … What bothered me most is I have NEVER been to a seminar, class or conference…where questions Were Not Welcome. I raised my hand ten minutes before the end and was completely blown off and never approached later.
~Sarah in Michigan, 10/23/03
Temperament Testing – Comments from
Attendees at Sue Sternberg’s Seminars
I’m just back from the No More Homeless Pets Conference. Merritt Clifton [editor of Animal People newspaper] was a speaker on the discussion panels, and today he said to the room of 420+ people that temperament tests should be done away with, that they are worthless and he has the stats and research to back up his claim.
~Kathy in Pennsylvania, 10/26/03
The temperament test is supposed to weed out aggressive dogs before they even mix with the other dogs in a shelter, much less get adopted. … Catherine Crawmer and Sue Sternberg are two of the leading animal behaviorists in the [Albany, N.Y.] area, and they have two very different opinions about what a temperament test should be used for. Sue Sternberg’s temperament test is used at the Animal Protective Foundation in Scotia,…as we saw when we did our first report on the number of dogs failing the test and being put down. The Mohawk-Hudson animal shelter takes a different approach. “We can work with the dog here,” says Catherine Crawner. Sue Sternberg says too few, not too many, dogs are being euthanised in Capital District shelters.
“If they are in the Northeast and they have a high euthanasia rate, I would say okay. I know that most of the dogs coming into shelters in large cities are not family pet dogs, they have fight backgrounds and guarding backgrounds,” says Sternberg. Catherine Crawmer says at Mohawk-Hudson, they…test differently. “Our test is more hands-on, we give more time considering we can change a dog’s behavior,” says Crawmer. … The debate roars on over how shelters decide which animals will live and which will die. … Aggression can be in the eye of the tester.
~“Putting the Temperament Test to the Test” (excerpts), WTEN-TV (News 10 ABC), Albany, NY; undated (posted 9/28/03)
Killing animals on the basis of a temperament test is such a horrendous crime that those who do it have to become hardened in their defense of the theory in order to justify their crime. Sue Sternberg is a lousy trainer who justifies her inability by labeling her students as dangerous and uneducable. Imagine the uproar if this were suggested as a way of sorting students at inner city schools.
~Francis Battista, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, 8/11/03
Temperament Testing – Comments from
Attendees at Sue Sternberg’s Seminars
I attended several of [Sue Sternberg’s] temperament testing seminars here in Los Angeles where she used Pasadena Humane Society dogs. … I found her training a real eye opener. And I was a fan. HOWEVER, back then…the pitch [was]: “If you are a shelter and you must kill 50 dogs tonight, here is a way to decide which 50 must go.”. … But that is not how these tests are being used here. What has happened is Maddies Fund. Lots of money being waived at shelters who become “no kill.” And now city and county shelters can become “no kill” OVERNIGHT! … This is why I want to see temperament testing in a shelter outlawed. … I think that just working with and watching and observing a dog is best.
~Carol in Los Angeles, 10/8/03
I worked at a local humane society here in Colorado. … I attended [Sue Sternberg’s] seminar last year. I found her temperament test…educational to see a dog’s strengths and weaknesses. Yet I found [her] to be a very disturb [sic] woman. Some of the dogs (all from the shelter) that she evaluated and failed were happy-go-lucky dogs that just failed one part of the temp. test. I found her to be a woman that is very afraid of certain breeds (small and large). It appalls me that this woman goes around the country doing seminars.
~Lisa in Colorado, 10/03
Two years ago…a [Sue Sternberg] clinic was presented at a well attended conference. Sadly, I think many in attendance saw this as a way to soothe the horrid guilt that goes with the killing done every day. Others who inquired about the “what ifs” – with logical and well thought out questions were put off by [Sternberg]. She had dogs brought in that day from local pounds. One dog, a very timid girl, didn’t stand a chance with [Sternberg]. Later in the day, films were shown of the testing tactics. It was not unlike watching torture. The “testing” went on and on until a negative reaction was seen. The pressure these animals were under was inhumane. None of the dogs I’ve ever shared a home with in my lifetime would “pass.” … I see two elements here: the all-knowing [Sternberg] needs to be called for what she is: a greedy power-monger; and the public needs to know the real cost of “no-kill.”
~Marie in New Jersey, 9/27/03
I have been to one of Sue Sternberg’s seminars. She would have euth’d 4 out of the 5 dogs she used as demos…. [Sue] even said that her own 5 dogs would never have passed the test, that most of the dogs over 35 lbs. in the NE need to be euthanized, and she very much stressed that adoptions were a business, and what we wanted here was to boost our business….
~Mindy in New York, 10/03
Temperament Testing – Comments from
Attendees at Sue Sternberg’s Seminars
Seminar Attendees – pg. 2
This was not [Sternberg’s] personal seminar. It was the Petfinder seminar “Adoption Options” I think was the name. … She honestly seemed to get bent out of shape when I started writing. I wasn’t taking notes about the training…. I was taking notes on her comments about how a majority of the dogs in the NE need to be PTS [“put to sleep”; i.e., euthanized]. … Dogs from the LASPCA were brought in. … There was a small Lab- looking mix named Sage. She melted when you touched her but she was as shy as could be. She responded WONDERFULLY to Sue’s training and was wagging her tail for [Sue]…We took a break…and I overheard Sue…comment about how she would put the dog down. … After the break we sat back down… I had pen and paper and started writing notes. She stopped everything and told me it was NOT necessary to take notes, everyone learned from her without notes. The next dog was Oliver, a little Chow-y mix about 6 months old. … He was full of energy and love. Because he EAGERLY took a piece of cheese from [Sue] she indicated that she would choose him for euthanizing, to a loud chorus of gasps from the crowd. … I spent 20 minutes before leaving making sure Sage and Oliver were NOT going to be put down…. Seems even the LASPCA isn’t too thrilled by her methods. Once outside the meeting room Sue avoided me and several others who were trying to question her….
~Tammy in Louisiana, 10/11/03
The first person to speak [at the MPDRA Conference] was Sue Sternberg. … The only thing she [chose] to speak about…was dog-on-dog aggression. She…brought out three shelter dogs she had never met before. … The test was basically to see how long it would take a dog to key off a…happy dog. … [Later I] went to Assess A Pet…to learn a new way to handle dogs. I have yet to have any opinion on Temperament Testing at all, let alone AAP…. We got 45 minutes to learn as much as possible about Assess A Pet. … Most importantly [Sternberg] does not believe any animal under 35 lbs should not be put down…and she attempted to clear up several other rumors. … Several times [she] made reference to a tape recorder (“move closer so it can come through clearer” and “you can turn it off now”), also other statements such as, with her eyes referring to those taking notes, “be sure to take this down” while she was clearing up the rumors. … I learned that setting up a program to kill dogs can make a person an insane amount of money if done right. … I mainly learned that I should have stayed with the trainer that I had already found and been happy with. … What bothered me most is I have NEVER been to a seminar, class or conference…where questions Were Not Welcome. I raised my hand ten minutes before the end and was completely blown off and never approached later.
~Sarah in Michigan, 10/23/03
Temperament Testing – Comments from
Attendees at Sue Sternberg’s Seminars