ISCTA-Certified Canine Risk Assessors
WARNING: If a dog ranks as a Potentially-Dangerous Dog or greater threat (score of 31 or higher), ISCTA strongly recommends having an ISCTA-Certified Canine Risk Assessor score the dog in the event of future litigation.
ISCTA-Certified Canine Risk Assessors are trained to the highest standards in assessing:
Taken together, the 15 risk factors measured by the C-TAG produce a rough score that will allow municipalities to rank "problem" dogs so that Animal Control can focus on those dogs presenting the greatest potential threat to society. ISCTA strongly recommends that if there is any potential of litigation, that a certified Canine Risk Assessor be utilized to score any dogs scoring over 30. An ISCTA-certified Canine Risk Assessor is more valuable resource on the stand than an Animal Behaviorist, since the risk a given dog poses to society is comprised of more than just behavior: an aggressive Dalmation kept by a responsible owner behind multiple levels of containment poses less of a threat to neighborhood children than the same dog kept by an ever-changing group of young inexperienced students. Risk Assessment will highlight the differences between these two situations, whereas a Behavioral Assessment of the dog will not. Thus, if there is any potential for litigation, a formal assessment by an ISCTA-Certified Canine Risk Assessor is more defensible in the courtroom than a behavioral assessment by an Animal Behaviorist. Courses in K9 Risk Assessment are given on an as-needed basis; click on ISCTA Certification for more info.
To download the C-TAG Guide and Worksheet, click here.
ISCTA-Certified Canine Risk Assessors are trained to the highest standards in assessing:
- Past history of a dog's aggression and the probability of the threat level escalating
- Level of responsibility and concern for public safety as evidenced by the owner
- Adequacy of containment in preventing ingress and egress of strangers/children
- Time-to-Breach score of the containment measures in place
- Needed controls to effectively reduce the risk the dog poses
Taken together, the 15 risk factors measured by the C-TAG produce a rough score that will allow municipalities to rank "problem" dogs so that Animal Control can focus on those dogs presenting the greatest potential threat to society. ISCTA strongly recommends that if there is any potential of litigation, that a certified Canine Risk Assessor be utilized to score any dogs scoring over 30. An ISCTA-certified Canine Risk Assessor is more valuable resource on the stand than an Animal Behaviorist, since the risk a given dog poses to society is comprised of more than just behavior: an aggressive Dalmation kept by a responsible owner behind multiple levels of containment poses less of a threat to neighborhood children than the same dog kept by an ever-changing group of young inexperienced students. Risk Assessment will highlight the differences between these two situations, whereas a Behavioral Assessment of the dog will not. Thus, if there is any potential for litigation, a formal assessment by an ISCTA-Certified Canine Risk Assessor is more defensible in the courtroom than a behavioral assessment by an Animal Behaviorist. Courses in K9 Risk Assessment are given on an as-needed basis; click on ISCTA Certification for more info.
To download the C-TAG Guide and Worksheet, click here.