Exploring the Science of Dog Welfare: Dive into a brief overview of academic research examining the welfare of dogs in various environments, including streets, shelters, and homes.
A study found that attending post-adoption training classes did not reduce the likelihood of dogs being returned to the shelter but influenced the reasons for return, with trained dogs more often returned for owner-related issues rather than behavioural ones.
Can Training Classes Prevent Dog Returns? What the Research Says Read More »
This study found that pet owners and non-pet owners differ across key socio-demographic factors—such as age, income, race, and housing—which can bias observed links between pet ownership and health, highlighting the need to account for selection bias in such research.
Why Pet Ownership Studies Need to Account for Who Owns Pets Read More »
A study found that online, supported self-rehoming platforms can effectively divert many pets from entering shelters, highlighting both the potential of these tools to reduce shelter intake and the need for shelters to prepare for the continued intake of harder-to-place animals.
A study demonstrates how Memphis Animal Services implemented best practices — including managed intake, pet owner support, and community-based field services — to achieve a sustained live release rate of over 90% for cats and nearly 90% for dogs.
This study found that pet care resources in Detroit are concentrated in wealthier, gentrifying areas, revealing animal welfare deserts and leaving economically distressed neighborhoods underserved despite greater need.
Mapping Inequity: Academic Study Reveals Animal Welfare Deserts in Detroit Read More »
A study explores how adolescents’ identities as pet owners and their responsibilities in pet caregiving influence family dynamics, stress coping, and the human–animal bond, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This study found that children’s positive attitudes toward pets — rather than pet ownership itself — are modestly associated with improved social skills, especially higher empathy and lower delinquency, across diverse youth populations.
A study examines how pet ownership and the role of pets in the United States is shaped by family structure, housing, and cultural background.
A large national study found that dog bite injuries amongst children in the U.S. have steadily increased from 2015 to 2020 — with a significant surge during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A study explored how introducing a new child into a dog-owning household affects dog-related guilt, dog behavior, and parent wellbeing.
Baby Meets Dog: What A Study Says About the Guilt Dog Owners Experience After Childbirth Read More »