Data and facts on the behaviour & health status of dogs rescued internationally.
Jump to: Overview | Country-Specific Data
Highlights
- Two surveys in Canada found no significant behavioral differences between imported and domestic dogs. A Danish study noted that former street dogs tended to be more fearful and aggressive, but the difference was not significant.
- Veterinarians in Denmark held a more pessimistic view towards imported dogs, with 56.7% strongly agreeing that dogs should not be imported into the country.
- A UK survey found that 67.5% of participants sought training or behavioral help after adopting their imported dog. Training successfully resolved behavioral issues in 71% of cases.
Overview
Country-Specific Data
Jump to: Canada | Denmark | UK
Canada
Jump to: Two Studies on Owner-Dog Relationship (2022)
Canada: Two Self-Reported Surveys on Owner-Dog Relationship (2022)
External link:
von Rentzell KA, van Haaften K, Morris A, Protopopova A (2022) Investigation into owner-reported differences between dogs born in versus imported into Canada. PLoS ONE 17(6): e0268885. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0268885
Key Findings Across Multiple Dimensions of Owner-Dog Relationship
Difficult Behavior
- Older owners reported fewer behavioral issues.
- Male owners and those who acquired dogs from friends/relatives reported more difficult behavior.
- Female owners and those who acquired dogs from breeders/shelters reported fewer difficult behaviors.
Excitability
- Older dogs and dogs with international backgrounds were perceived as less excitable.
Struggle
- Canadian dog owners reported more struggles.
- Male owners and those with higher education levels scored higher on struggle.
- Dogs acquired from pet stores or international breeders were associated with more struggles.
Burden
- Older owners reported lower burdens.
- Households with more children perceived greater burdens.
- Higher education levels were associated with higher perceived burdens.
- Dog source and puppy background influenced burden levels inconsistently.
Regret
- Canadian dog owners scored higher on regret.
- Male owners and those with higher medical expenses reported more regret.
- Dogs acquired from pet stores or international breeders were associated with higher regret.
Satisfaction
- Male owners and those with more children reported lower satisfaction.
- Dogs born in the household led to lower satisfaction scores.
Harsh Training
- Canadian dog owners were more likely to use harsh training methods.
- International rescue dog owners reported higher harsh training scores than those with domestic rescue dogs.
- Those with higher medical expenses/more children reported harsher training.
- Older owners and those with lower education levels were less likely to use harsh training.
- Owners who acquired dogs from pet stores or international breeders also reported using harsher training methods.
Gentle Training
- Older dogs were less likely to receive gentle training.
- Dogs acquired from within the household were more likely to receive gentle training, but this was inconsistent with dogs born within the household.
Perceived Health Issues
- Owners of Canadian dogs reported more health issues.
- Households with more children and older dogs had higher health concerns.
- Dogs from pet stores as puppies had fewer perceived health issues.
Expectations
- Owners of Canadian dogs had higher expectations.
- Older owners and dogs were associated with lower expectations.
- Dogs from international breeders or born within the household had higher expectations.
Attachment
- Male owners and those with more children reported lower attachment.
- Older dogs were associated with decreased attachment.
Dog Care
Vet Visits
- Overall: Most dogs were taken to the vet regularly.
Professional Help
- More likely to seek professional help: Older owners and owners of older dogs.
- Less likely to seek professional help: Male owners.
Internet Help
- More likely to use online resources: Older owners and owners of older dogs.
- Less likely to use online resources: Owners with higher education levels.
Related data from the same study (Behaviours & Health)
Research Summary | Back to Top
Denmark
Jump to: Comparison between dog owners and veterinarians
Differences in views between dog owners and veterinarians
External link:
Munkeboe N, Lohse-Lind A, Sandøe P, Forkman B, Nielsen SS. Comparing Behavioural Problems in Imported Street Dogs and Domestically Reared Danish Dogs—The Views of Dog Owners and Veterinarians. Animals. 2021; 11(5):1436. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11051436
Dog Acquisition Sources
Domestically Reared Dogs (RD Dogs)
- Primary Source: Small, private breeders (59%)
- Other Sources:
- Larger kennels (11%)
- Private rehoming (11%)
- Foreign breeders (5%)
- Danish shelters (2%)
Former Street Dogs (FS Dogs)
- Countries of Origin (Top 5):
- Greece (286)
- Bosnia-Herzegovina (137)
- Portugal (82)
- Romania (63)
- Spain (29)
- Other Countries: 51
- Acquisition Methods:
- Danish organizations (75%)
- Foreign organizations (7%)
- Private individuals working with street dogs (4%)
- Found on the street in the country of origin (3%)
- Local shelters in the country of origin (5%)
- Danish shelters or rehomed from other families (2%)
- Unknown origin (9%)
Behavioural Findings From Dog Owner Survey
| Dog Type | Behaviour | Never (%) | Rarely (%) | Sometimes (%) | Often (%) | Always (%) | Do Not Know (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner home | |||||||
| RD | whines for attention | 29 | 30 | 30 | 9.9 | 1.5 | 0.3 |
| FS | whines for attention | 39 | 31 | 21 | 7.5 | 1.7 | 0.2 |
| RD | follows owner | 1.5 | 9.9 | 27 | 41 | 20 | 0.6 |
| FS | follows owner | 3.7 | 14 | 33 | 36 | 14 | 0.2 |
| Fear of humans | |||||||
| RD | of women | 86 | 9.2 | 3.5 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| FS | of women | 71 | 18 | 7 | 13 | 1.1 | 0.5 |
| RD | of men | 71 | 16 | 9.2 | 3 | 0.6 | 0.6 |
| FS | of men | 45 | 19 | 21 | 12 | 2.9 | 0.5 |
| RD | of children | 68 | 15 | 10 | 3.4 | 1.9 | 1.1 |
| FS | of children | 55 | 20 | 12 | 7.8 | 3 | 3 |
| Fear of dogs, objects and sounds | |||||||
| RD | unknown dogs | 37 | 33 | 20 | 6.6 | 2.4 | 1.1 |
| FS | unknown dogs | 27 | 31 | 28 | 9.2 | 3.6 | 1.7 |
| RD | unknown objects | 25 | 44 | 24 | 5.8 | 1 | 0.8 |
| FS | unknown objects | 17 | 36 | 31 | 12 | 3 | 1.2 |
| RD | of sounds | 34 | 32 | 18 | 11 | 5 | 0.9 |
| FS | of sounds | 19 | 27 | 23 | 17 | 11 | 1.7 |
| Aggression | |||||||
| RD | towards men | 84 | 8.5 | 3.8 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 1.2 |
| FS | towards men | 79 | 9 | 5.4 | 4.5 | 1.2 | 1.1 |
| Stress | |||||||
| RD | on walks | 55 | 28 | 12 | 3 | 1.2 | 1.1 |
| FS | on walks | 50 | 27 | 18 | 4.2 | 0.8 | 0.9 |
| RD | unknown people | 56 | 26 | 11 | 4.7 | 1.2 | 1 |
| FS | Unknown people | 41 | 29 | 16 | 8.4 | 5.1 | 0.8 |
Views of Danish Veterinarians
- Percentages of veterinarians reporting that they had seen the problems in former street dogs
- Fear of humans: 82%
- Fear of other dogs: 54%
- Fear of new objects: 40%
- Fear of sounds: 44%
- Aggression towards humans: 38%
- Aggression towards other dogs: 50%
- Resource guarding: 40%
- Destructive behaviour: 42%
- Problems when home alone: 65%
- Stress: 69%
- Barking: 36%
- Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD): 3%
- Stereotypical behaviour:11%
- House soiling: 28%
- Stray or run away: 15%
- Other: 6%
- None of the above: 1%
| Statement | Strongly Disagree (%) | Disagree (%) | Partially Disagree (%) | Partially Agree (%) | Agree (%) | Strongly Agree (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Former street dogs have a higher degree of behavioural problems than dogs reared in Denmark. | 1.2% | 4.9% | 7.9% | 15.2% | 26.8% | 43.9% |
| Danish dog owners are generally well prepared to own a former street dog. | 21.3% | 31.7% | 27.4% | 14.0% | 4.3% | 1.2% |
| Former street dogs should not be imported to Denmark. | 0.6% | 1.8% | 4.9% | 17.1% | 18.9% | 56.7% |
- 83% of veterinarians believed that FS dogs had poorer health compared to RD dogs.
- 80% believed FS dogs were more likely to carry infectious diseases.
- 96% were concerned about FS dogs introducing exotic diseases into Denmark.
Research Summary | Back to Top
United Kingdom (UK)
Jump to: Reasons, Methods, Welfare (2020)
Reasons, Methods, Welfare Considerations Study (2020)
External link:
Norman, C.; Stavisky, J.; Westgarth, C. Importing rescue dogs into the UK: Reasons, methods and welfare considerations. Vet. Rec. 2020, 186, 248. https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.105380
Dog Behaviour
- Behavioural Tests:
- 48% of participants believed their dog had undergone a behavioural test before importation
| Behavioral Issue | Never | Sometimes | More than half the time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Growled or snapped while playing with a toy | 90% | 9% | 1% |
| Growled or snapped while eating its meal | 89% | 9% | 2% |
| Growled or snapped or attempted to bite a person | 84% | 14% | 2% |
| Escaped | 76% | 21% | 3% |
| Displayed aggression towards another animal | 65% | 29% | 6% |
| Been too noisy | 59% | 32% | 9% |
| Been anxious / stressed when home alone | 59% | 31% | 10% |
| Been destructive | 59% | 34% | 7% |
| Mouthed or chewed people in play | 56% | 33% | 11% |
| Shown fear of other dogs | 47% | 37% | 16% |
| Toileted inside | 45% | 44% | 11% |
| Jumped on people | 42% | 39% | 19% |
| Been overly active | 41% | 41% | 19% |
| Chased small animals | 36% | 40% | 26% |
| Shown fear to strangers | 34% | 40% | 26% |
| Pulled hard on the lead | 32% | 43% | 25% |
| Refused to come when called | 29% | 52% | 19% |
| Shown fear of strange noises / objects | 18% | 54% | 27% |
| Greeted strange dogs in a friendly manner | 6% | 18% | 76% |
| Greeted visitors in a friendly manner | 5% | 16% | 79% |
- Training/Behavioral Assistance:
- 67.5% of participants sought some form of training or behavioral help after adopting their dog.
- Sources of Advice:
- Internet: 25%
- Friends/Family: 20%
- Private Session with a Dog Trainer: 19%
- Vet or Vet Nurse Advice: 17%
- Session with a Behavior Counselor: 10%
- Advice from the Dog’s Original Organization or Person: <1%
- Resolution of Behavioural Issues:
- 71% of participants who sought training/behavioural help reported that the help resolved the dog’s behavioural issues.
- Re-homing Due to Behavioural Problems:
- 61% of participants who re-homed their dog did so because of behavioural problems (20 cases).
- 73% of those who considered re-homing their dog did so due to behavioural issues.
Dog Health
- Vaccination Status:
- 85% of dogs were up to date with UK vaccinations (vaccinated in the past year).
- 7% were not up to date.
- Among the 72 “other” responses:
- 40% were undergoing titre testing.
- 38% were not up to date with their Leptospirosis vaccine.
- 7% were omitted due to health reasons.
- 6% believed vaccinations were unnecessary.
- 4% had fallen behind on vaccinations.
- 4% were using homeopathic/natural remedies.
- Health Check and Treatments Prior to Importation:
- Full veterinary health check: 93.4%.
- Worming treatments: 94.8%.
- Flea treatments: 91.4%.
- Rabies-free blood test: 86.8%.
- Tick treatments: 84%.
- Health Conditions on Importation:
- 20% of dogs were imported with known health conditions, most commonly:
- Traumatic injury: 19%.
- Leishmaniasis: 9.1%.
- 20% of dogs were imported with known health conditions, most commonly:
- Disease Testing and Awareness:
- Uncertainty in Disease Testing:
- Leishmaniasis: 38.7% selected “unknown.”
- Ehrlichiosis: 46.4% selected “unknown.”
- Dirofilaria immitis: 50% selected “unknown.”
- Babesiosis: 59.4% selected “unknown.”
- Awareness of Disease Differences:
- 74% of participants believed they were aware of the differences in canine diseases between the dog’s country of origin and the UK.
- 24.7% were unaware, and 1.7% gave no answer
- Uncertainty in Disease Testing:
| Owner-reported testing results for infectious diseases | Tested positive | Tested negative | Total tested | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leishmaniasis (Leishmania infantum) | 79 | 454 | 533 | 14.8% |
| Babesiosis/Piroplasmosis (Babesia canis) | 4 | 301 | 305 | 1.3% |
| Heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) | 12 | 384 | 396 | 3.0% |
| Ehrlichiosis (Ehrlichia canis) | 21 | 348 | 369 | 5.7% |
| Echinococcus multilocularis | 3 | 288 | 291 | 1.0% |
| Rabies | 5 | 529 | 534 | 0.9% |
| Tongueworm (Linguatula Serrata) | 5 | 247 | 252 | 2.0% |
Overall Assessment
| Positive perceptions | Negative perceptions |
|---|---|
| ‘Overseas rescuers stay in touch, become friends, want to see you and the dogs happy. It’s a personal experience and as adopters you are made to feel appreciated and part of a great big rescuing family.’ | ‘It was with us one night, jumped a 7-foot-high wall and escaped. Took 2 days to find it and capture it. We were conned.’ |
| ‘Dog has bronze and silver canine good citizen awards.’ | ‘Believe false passport.’ |
| ‘Dog now therapy dog.’ | ‘Vet estimated age 9 months. Passport says 6 years.’ |
| ‘The organisation lets you foster them until you decide it is the right dog and are ready to adopt.’ | ‘It was both financially and emotionally draining.’ |
| ‘My Romanian rescue is absolutely gorgeous. It’s like she knows she has been given a second chance and she is so loving and such a good girl.’ | ‘I was conned. The dog has epilepsy, was told we could get his pills for 5 Euros from Spain. Not the case at all.’ |
| ‘A truly rewarding experience and have made many new friends through this process. Would do it all again.’ | ‘I was told by them that he had a full behaviour assessment and he was great with children, other animals and people, but is slightly scared of men. In reality, he is terrified of all strangers … he acts more like a fox than a domestic dog.’ |
| ‘Definitely recommend as the rescue have supported me throughout the last 3 years of having dogs from them. Any questions they always answer and I know I can call them at any time for advice.’ | ‘Hard to make contact with the agency to ask questions but I guess they are busy. Alarmed that there are no follow up calls or contact of any sort after money is paid.’ |
| ‘I could choose the dog from the comfort of my own home…When out walking and talking to fellow dog walkers, most have no idea that this can all be done online via Facebook, PayPal and email. The dogs are even delivered to the door.’ | ‘I would say NEVER adopt a dog from abroad. Like us you can bring in diseases that shouldn’t be here. There are many dogs here that need homes and having a dog with active Leishmania is no fun at all.’ |
- Coded and Quantified Responses:
- A random sample of 100 responses was analyzed, revealing the following:
- 40% recommended adopting from abroad.
- 23% recommended the specific organization they used.
- 14% expressed satisfaction with the ongoing support provided by the organization.
- A random sample of 100 responses was analyzed, revealing the following:
- Dog Behavior and Adjustment:
- 22% mentioned their dog had challenging behaviors.
- 25% reported their dog had settled well.
- Adoption Advice:
- 12% recommended conducting thorough research before adopting from abroad.
- 7% advised having prior experience with dogs before adopting.
- 7% emphasized having realistic expectations, particularly regarding behavioral work.
Related data from the same study (Demographics)