Many see shelter animals as "damaged goods" and because of this, they choose to not adopt from animal shelters. This is one myth that has made the adoption of dogs and cats through local shelters more difficult. As many people have experienced, animal shelters can be chaotic and loud. It has been proven that this can cause hightened anxiety and fear in each animal. Dr. Karen Overall a diplomat of the American College of Vetinarian Behavorists from The University of Pennsylvania denotes that the animals in shelters can feel threatened and scared by many factors, which can alternate their personalities. This hightened fear and can cause unusual behavior that might deter potential adopters. Behavioral problems can very in different cases such as:

• Relinquished animals

• Passed over animals after a potential adoption (unwanted)

• Seperation

• Problems caused by kennel environment 

Relinquished animals are those who are given up by their origional owners which can cause behaviors such as: destructiveness, fearfulness, wanting to escape and barking. 

Unwanted animals often are aggressive torwards people and other animals, shy, and jumpy/mouthy in initial meeting. 

Seperation Anxiety in the kennel enviornment can effect animals in many different ways, but the most apparent ways are social-hyper arousal, housetraining regression, and aggression inside and outside the kennel. 

By paying more attention to the individual dogs and cats, instead of looking at the group as a whole, one can better the chances of an adoption. Through one on one contact, and care, these dogs and cats can drastically change in characteristics. Not only will there adoption chance increase, but their over all health as well. 

Sources:

https://www.avma.org/News/JAVMANews/Pages/150401a.aspx

http://www.maddiesfund.org/behavior-problems-and-long-term-housing.htm