Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-s22k5 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-02-11T17:50:16.538Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Why do people bring dogs back to the pound? A questionnaire study in Milan, Italy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2017

F. Mondelli ,
D. Levi ,
S. Magistrelli ,
E. Prato Previde  and
P. Valsecchi
F. Mondelli
Affiliation:
Istituto di Psicologia, Facoltà di Medicina, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy
D. Levi
Affiliation:
Servizio di Sanità Animale, ASL Milano, Italy
S. Magistrelli
Affiliation:
Servizio di Sanità Animale, ASL Milano, Italy
E. Prato Previde
Affiliation:
Istituto di Psicologia, Facoltà di Medicina, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy
P. Valsecchi
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Biologia Evolutiva e Funzionale, Facoltà di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Parma, Italy
Get access

Extract

The ASL (Local Sanitary Agency) dog pound in Milan is a sanitary structure where stray dogs (dogs which have run away from their owners, abandoned dogs and free ranging dogs) are housed after being found. Dogs cannot be adopted during the first 10 days. After this period, dogs stay in the same structure if space is available (and can be adopted), otherwise they are put in private kennels for unlimited time. Only dogs which are seriously sick or proved to be aggressive and dangerous can be put down through euthanasia (Law 281/91). When an adopted dog is brought back to the pound, the adoptive owner is asked to fill in a questionnaire. However, not everyone accepts to do so.

The aim of this study is to understand: a) the reasons why dogs adopted from the pound are then left again; b) what influences the owner’s decision to leave their pet; c) if the decision is linked to problems caused by the dog or to the owner’s choice.

Type
Theatre Presentations
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science , Volume 2002 , 2002 , pp. 65
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2002

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)