Three Things to Know
The efficacy of dog welfare education campaigns is a subject requiring greater scrutiny. Researchers conducted an analysis of the RSPCA’s #DogKind campaign in the UK, investigating its reach and influence on knowledge and behavior.
Overall, the campaign reached just over 20% of survey panelists. But it had more success in reaching its target audience of those within the 25-34 age group and elicited high engagement among those exposed.
However, the study revealed no significant changes in respondents’ beliefs or behaviors related to separation-related dog behaviors. Notably, no discernible differences were observed in the duration dogs were left alone or the propensity to seek assistance, irrespective of campaign awareness.
For Dog Welfare Practitioners
A critical issue in this study was the reliability of survey panelists, whose behaviors cast doubt on the data. Organizations with resources for large-scale surveys should prioritize expert consultation, particularly with academic researchers, to guarantee data integrity.
This study reveals that dog welfare education campaigns do not automatically translate to behavioral change. Organizations must prioritize robust measurement and feedback to maximize campaign effectiveness.
The Full Picture
Education is a key strategy for UK companion animal welfare charities, often delivered through targeted campaigns to improve public awareness of animal needs and behaviors. These campaigns, which resemble public health and commercial advertising efforts, aim to influence individual decision-making, social norms, and even public policy. Despite significant financial investment, there is limited published evidence on their effectiveness in improving animal welfare.
This study, titled “Do Animal Welfare Education Campaigns Really Work? An Evaluation of the RSPCA’s #DogKind Campaign in Raising Awareness of Separation-Related Behaviours in UK Dog Owners”, aims to evaluate the effectiveness of one such education campaign.
#DogKind Campaign
The #DogKind campaign was a nationwide education initiative by the RSPCA targeting UK dog owners. The campaign, launched in March 2019, aimed to promote reward-based training, awareness of dog emotions, access to reliable advice, and management of separation-related behavior (SRB) — a significant but often overlooked welfare issue. The primary audience was 25–34-year-old dog owners, identified through focus groups, who preferred video-based content.
Study Methods
The study used online surveys conducted at three time points:
- Pre-survey (March 2019, before campaign launch)
- Six-month survey (September 2019)
- Eight-month survey (October–November 2019)
The surveys included demographic questions, ownership practices, SRB knowledge, and attitudes toward seeking help. The six-month and eight-month surveys also assessed campaign awareness, engagement, and webpage visits.
Research focus
The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the #DogKind campaign through four key research questions:
- Campaign Reach – Assessed whether the campaign effectively reached its target audience. It also explored how individuals discovered and engaged with the campaign.
- Awareness of Separation-Related Behavior (SRB) – Measured changes in respondents’ awareness of SRB, including perceptions of how long dogs can be left alone, how often they left their own dogs alone, and how SRB impacts a dog’s happiness and well-being.
- Intent to Seek Help for SRB – Evaluated whether the campaign influenced dog owners’ likelihood of seeking help for SRB from reliable sources and whether their perceived importance of addressing SRB changed post-campaign.
- Effectiveness of Video Content – Compared the impact of video-based versus text-only campaign materials by analyzing differences in awareness, perceptions of dog happiness, and willingness to seek help among those who watched the video versus those who did not.
Study Results
The study surveyed 2002 respondents before the launch of the #DogKind campaign. Of these, 988 completed the six-month survey and 190 completed the eight-month survey. Those who completed the follow-up were predominantly male, from London, aged 45–54, with A-level education and an income of GBP 30–39,999.
Campaign Reach
Only 21% of the 988 respondents who completed both the pre-survey and the six-month survey had heard of #DogKind. Among them, 47.3% heard about it via Facebook and 41.7% via the RSPCA website. Those aware of the campaign were more likely to be male (65.2% vs. 46.2%), live in London, have higher education and income, and be in the target age group (25–34). Of those aware, 81.6% engaged with it, primarily by watching RSPCA videos or engaging on social media. These findings suggest that a more tailored, region-specific approach could improve future campaign reach and engagement.
Awareness of SRB rose from 52.4% to 58.1%. However, this was largely due to increased awareness among those who had not heard of the campaign. This suggests that there may be other influences, such as external media or personal experiences.
Changes in Attitudes and Behaviours
The study found that six months after the campaign’s launch:
Acceptable Duration for Leaving Dogs Alone
- The perceived acceptable duration for leaving dogs alone showed no significant change.
- No significant difference between those who had seen the campaign and those who had not.
- No significant differences between the responses of the target age group of 25–34-year-olds and all other age groups.
- Reported actual time dogs were left alone remained largely unchanged, though occasional maximum time left alone increased significantly.
Perceived Importance of Seeking Help for SRB
- Six months after the campaign’s launch, the perceived importance of seeking help for SRB remained unchanged.
- No significant differences in attitude shifts between those who had seen the campaign and those who had not, nor between different age groups.
- The most commonly reported source of help for SRB before and after the campaign was veterinarians, with a slight increase from 29.5% to 31.4%.
Effectiveness of Video Resource
The effectiveness of a video resource as part of the campaign was assessed eight months after launch, with 190 participants randomly assigned to either the video resource or the campaign web pages for study. Excluding the unsure respondents, analysis showed no significant differences between those who watched the video and those who did not in terms of their beliefs about how long a dog could be left alone, perceptions of their dog’s happiness when left alone, or attitudes toward seeking help for SRB. The presence of the video did not appear to enhance the campaign’s overall effectiveness.
Data Concerns
A key limitation in assessing the campaign’s success stemmed from issues with the survey participants. The researchers were forced to remove a large portion of the data collected due to an issue originating with the market research agency. Furthermore, the reliability of responses was questioned due to the use of incentivized survey panellists, who may have approached the surveys differently from the general public. Some inconsistencies, such as respondents reporting knowledge of SRB before the campaign but denying awareness six months later, suggested potential issues with recall or engagement in the survey process.
Conclusion
The campaign aimed to increase awareness of separation-related behavior (SRB) in dogs and encourage owners to seek help from reliable sources. However, despite reaching nearly 30% of the sampled population and effectively engaging the target age group of 25–34-year-olds, the campaign led to only minimal changes in awareness and change in behavior. Additionally, the inclusion of a video depicting SRB signs did not significantly impact the campaign’s effectiveness. The use of an incentivized survey panelists raised concerns, as significant differences between subpopulations may have led to an inaccurate portrayal of the campaign’s impact.
Overall, the campaign had limited impact on behavioral change, highlighting the complexity of translating awareness into action and the need for more effective strategies.
Miscellaneous
Data From Study:
Owned Dogs > Offering Better Care > Education Campaigns, Training and Socialization
Year of Publication:
2024
External Link:
Philpotts I, Blackwell EJ, Dillon J, Rooney NJ. Do Animal Welfare Education Campaigns Really Work? An Evaluation of the RSPCA’s #DogKind Campaign in Raising Awareness of Separation-Related Behaviours in UK Dog Owners. Animals. 2024; 14(3):484. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14030484