Dog risk Assessments for foster and Adoption agencies

dog RISK Assessments around children

Ensuring a safe environment for children is crucial when dogs are present in a home. Daniel is a highly qualified and experienced dog behaviourist, and provides professional behaviour assessments for social services, and foster and adoption agencies across Scotland and the UK.

Daniel provides comprehensive behaviour, welfare, and risk assessments for dogs for dogs living alongside children. His detailed behavioural reports offer expert insights and professional recommendations, evaluating the potential risks to children, including those with social, emotional, or behavioural difficulties.

What does an assessment involve?

Daniel’s assessments for foster/adoption agencies, schools, and Local Authorities provide a comprehensive evaluation of a dog’s behaviour, welfare, and suitability for placement within a family environment. Assessments consider a range of key factors, including:

• The dog’s behavioural history, previous training experiences, and any known or suspected health factors that may influence behaviour.

• An assessment of whether the dog can safely live alongside children, taking into account the dog’s behavioural responses, coping ability, and the predictability of behaviour in child related contexts.

• An evaluation of the risk of the dog displaying aggressive behaviour in situations where a child may be exposed to risk, alongside consideration of likely triggers and environmental factors.

• An assessment of the risk of accidental injury to a child, including factors such as size, strength, arousal levels, and typical interaction patterns.

• An assessment of the home environment, with practical recommendations for management strategies or environmental changes required to support safety and welfare.

• An evaluation of the dog’s temperament and behaviour in relation to household members, visitors, unfamiliar adults, and children across different age groups.

FEES

• For Internally Directed Assessments - £350 (plus VAT and Travel)

• For Court Directed Assessments Please Contact Us Directly For A Quote

Travel is from EH16. We offer assessments throughout Scotland, England, and Wales. For more information contact +44 7496 312905 or email info@dogbehaviourspecialist.co.uk

About daniel

DANIEL SHAW BSC (HONS), MSC, CDBC

Daniel Shaw BSc (Hons), MSc, CDBC is an animal behaviourist and expert witness specialising in canine behaviour. Daniel is based in Edinburgh, Scotland, and previously ran a behaviour practice in the South East of England from 2019.

He has been instructed in cases involving dogs seized under Sections 1 and 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, as well as in family court proceedings and civil matters including personal injury claims. His expert reports have been accepted in court proceedings across both criminal and civil cases.

His work focuses on dogs presenting with complex behavioural issues, including aggression, trauma-related responses, and fear-based behaviour. He also conducts assessments for foster and adoption organisations, including suitability assessments for homes with children.

Daniel holds an MSc in Neuroscience from King’s College London and a BSc (Hons) in Psychology. He is a Certified Dog Behaviour Consultant (CDBC) with the IAABC and a Graduate Member of the British Psychological Society.

He has undertaken extensive additional training in canine behaviour, aggression, applied ethology, and aspects of dog law, and continues to engage in ongoing professional development, staying up to date with the latest research and scientific understanding of canine behaviour, aggression, and behavioural assessment.

Daniel has completed formal training in canine conformation, including the Kennel Club Conformation and Movement Seminar and Points of the Dog Assessment, alongside further study in canine anatomy and physiology.

In addition to his casework, Daniel is a regular speaker at both national and international conferences. He presents on topics including dog bite risk, prevention, and the neurobiology of canine aggression, contributing to professional understanding of dog-related injury and public safety. He has also presented to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Animal Welfare on issues relating to dog bite risk and public safety.