Colorado Animal Welfare Conference Session
To Adoption, and Beyond! Considerations for Successful Canine Behavior Support Before and After Aadoption
3-4:30pm • August 18, 2026
City Lights 2 and 3
“Behavior dogs.” We all know them, care for them, and hope that they will find successful placements. In order to find those homes where these dogs will thrive, it is essential that we do all that we can to know who our dogs are as individuals, as well as utilize creative strategies to help them stay physically and mentally healthy while their adopters find them. But what about after these dogs leave our care? Many options for behavioral support and training exist. How do we get adopters on board with utilizing these resources? This session will explore considerations and strategies to support dogs while they are in our care, as well as ways to help them succeed post-adoption.
Amanda Payne, DVM, CBCC-KA
Dr. Amanda Payne is a veterinarian at Animal Friends Alliance in Fort Collins, CO. After graduating from Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2018, she worked in an open-admission shelter for over three years, then spent time exploring other aspects of veterinary medicine, including in-home end of life care, emergency medicine, and relief work. She started with Animal Friends Alliance in February of 2022 as the Dog Behavior Coordinator and earned her CBCC-KA certification. She now provides veterinary and behavior services for dogs in the care of the organization, and offers public behavioral consultations including behavior medication management services. In her spare time, she plays dog sports like agility and nosework with her cattle dogs and spends time listening to live music with her husband.