Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-17T13:24:42.025Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Application of a welfare assessment tool (Shelter Quality Protocol) in 64 Italian long-term dogs’ shelters: welfare hazard analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

L Arena ,
GV Berteselli ,
F Lombardo ,
L Candeloro ,
P Dalla Villa  and
F De Massis
L Arena*
Affiliation:
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Abruzzo e Molise ‘G. Caporale’, Campo Boario, 64100 Teramo, Italy Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Università di Teramo, SP18, 64100 Teramo, Italy
GV Berteselli
Affiliation:
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Abruzzo e Molise ‘G. Caporale’, Campo Boario, 64100 Teramo, Italy
F Lombardo
Affiliation:
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Abruzzo e Molise ‘G. Caporale’, Campo Boario, 64100 Teramo, Italy
L Candeloro
Affiliation:
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Abruzzo e Molise ‘G. Caporale’, Campo Boario, 64100 Teramo, Italy
P Dalla Villa
Affiliation:
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Abruzzo e Molise ‘G. Caporale’, Campo Boario, 64100 Teramo, Italy
F De Massis
Affiliation:
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Abruzzo e Molise ‘G. Caporale’, Campo Boario, 64100 Teramo, Italy
*
* Contact for correspondence: laurarena@hotmail.it
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The confined environment of the dog shelter, particularly over extensive time-periods can impact severely on welfare. Surveillance and assessment are therefore essential components of the welfare protocol. The aim of this study was to generate a descriptive analysis of a sample of Italian long-term shelters and identify potential hazards regarding the welfare of shelter dogs. This was achieved through application of the Shelter Quality Protocol (SQP) to link income/outcome variables and the inclusion of sixty-four long-term shelters in Italy. Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Key findings showed feeding regime, type of diet and access to outdoor area to be significantly associated with inadequate body condition score (BCS). The probability of observing skin lesions was shown to be influenced by bedding inadequacy and bedding type. Limiting beds to one per dog and utilising clean bedding materials was significantly associated with a reduced probability of observing dirty/wet dogs. Protection from adverse weather conditions and inadequate bedding were significantly associated with the manifestation of polypnea. Non-existent dog training facilities, outdoor access or leash walking were all found to significantly increase the likelihood of fearful or aggressive attitudes to people. Outdoor access also, in conjunction with feeding regime, was associated with the presence of diarrhoea. The SQP proved useful in identifying welfare hazards, both as regards shelter environment and shelter management. Identification of these hazards creates the opportunity for interventions to be applied, minimising the risks and improving the welfare of long-term shelter dogs.

Keywords

animal welfareassessmentdomestic doghazard analysisprotocolshelter
Type
Articles
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 28 , Issue 3 , August 2019 , pp. 353 - 363
Copyright
© 2019 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

References

Barnard, S, Padernera, C, Candeloro, L, Ferri, N, Velarde, and Dalla Villa, P 2016 Development of a new welfare assess-ment protocol for practical application in long-term dog shelters. Veterinary Record 178: 18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/vr.103336CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barrera, G, Jakovcevic, A, Elgier, AM, Mustaca, A and Bentosela, M 2010 Responses of shelter and pet dogs to an unknown human. Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Application and Research 5: 339–344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2010.08.012CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bauman, AE, Russell, SJ, Furber, SE and Dobson, AJ 2001 The epidemiology of dog walking: an unmet need for human and canine health. Medical Journal of Australia 175. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-200105001-01332CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bennett, PC and Rohlf, VI 2007 Owner-companion dog inter-actions: Relationships between demographic variables, potentially problematic behaviours, training engagement and shared activi-ties. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 102(1): 65–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2006.03.009CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Berteselli, G, Arena, L, Candeloro, L, Dalla Villa, P and De Massis, F 2019 Inter-observer agreement and sensitivity to cli-matic conditions in sheltered dogs’ welfare evaluation performed with welfare assessment protocol (Shelter Quality Protocol). Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research 29:45–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2018.09.003CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bland, IM, Guthrie-Jones, A, Taylor, RD and Hill, J 2009 Dog obesity: owner attitudes and behavior. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 92: 333–340. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pre-vetmed.2009.08.016CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blokhuis, HJ, Veissier, I, Miele, M and Jones, RB 2010 The Welfare Quality® project and beyond: safeguarding farm animal well-being. Acta Agriculturae Scandavica Animal Science 6: 129–140. https://doi.org/10.1080/09064702.2010.523480Google Scholar
Bollen, KS and Horowitz, J 2008 Behavioral evaluation and demographic information in the assessment of aggressiveness in shelter dogs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 112: 120–135. http://dx.doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2007.07.007CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Botreau, R, Veissier, I and Perny, P 2009 Overall assessment of animal welfare: strategy adopted in Welfare Quality®. Animal Welfare 18: 363–37010.1017/S0962728600000762CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Braun, G 2011 Taking a shelter dog for walks as an important step in the resocialization process. Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research 6: 100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2010.08.004CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Broom, DM 2001 Coping, stress and welfare. In: Broom, DM (ed) Coping with Challenge: Welfare in Animals including Humans pp 1–9. Dahlem University Press: Berlin, GermanyGoogle Scholar
Broom, DM 2007 Welfare in relation to feelings, stress and health. REDVET. Revista Electrónica de Veterinaria VIII, 12bGoogle Scholar
Brown, WP, Davidson, JP and Zuefle, ME 2013 Effects of phe-notypic characteristics on the length of stay of dogs at two no kill animal shelters. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 16: 2–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888705.2013.740967CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bybee, SN, Scorza, AV and Lappin, MR 2011 Effect of the pro-biotic Enterococcus faecium SF68 on presence of diarrhea in cats and dogs housed in an animal shelter. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 25: 856–860. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-1676.2011.0738.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cannas S, Rampini F, Levi D, Dalla Costa E, Talamonti Z, Minero M and Palestrini 2014 Shelter dogs and their destiny a retrospective analysis to identify predictive factors: a pilot study. Macedonian Veterinary Review 37: 151–156. http://dx.doi.org/10.14432/j.macvetrev.2014.07.018CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Casey, RA, Loftus, B, Bolster, C, Richards, GJ and Blackwell, EJ 2014 Human-directed aggression in domestic dogs (Canis famil-iaris): Occurrence in different contexts and risk factors. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 152: 52–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2013.12.003CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Coppola, CL, Grandin, T and Enns, RM 2006 Human interaction and cortisol: can human contact reduce stress for shelter dogs? Physiology & Behavior 87: 537–541. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2005.12.001CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cozzi, A, Mariti, C, Ogi, A, Sighieri, C and Gazzano, A 2016 Behavioral modification in sheltered dogs. Dog Behavior 2(3): 1–12Google Scholar
Dalla Villa, P, Barnard, S, Di Fede, E, Podaliri, M, Candeloro, L, Di Nardo, A, Siracusa, C and Serpell, JA 2013 Behavioural and physiological responses of shelter dogs to long-term confine-ment. Veterinaria Italiana 49: 231–241. http://dx.doi.org/10.12834/VetIt.2013.492.231.241Google Scholar
De Massis, F, Arena, L, Berteselli, GV, Ferri, N, Lombardo, F, Messori, S and Dalla Villa, P 2017 Shelter Quality Protocol. http://www.izs.it/IZS/Engine/RAServeFile.php/f/pdf_pubblicazio-ni/ProtocolloShelterQuality_EN_rev2410Google Scholar
Diesel, G, Pfeiffer, DU and Brodbelt, D 2008 Factors affecting the success of rehoming dogs in the UK during 2005. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 84: 228–241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pre-vetmed.2007.12.004CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
EFSA 2012 EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW). Statement on the use of animal-based measures to assess the wel-fare of animals. EFSA Journal 10(6): 2767–2795. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2012.2767Google Scholar
Eisele, PH 2001 A practical dog bed for environmental enrichment for geriatric beagles with applications for puppies and other small dogs. Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 40: 36–38Google ScholarPubMed
Gaines, SA, Rooney, NJ and Bradshaw, JWS 2007 The effects of the presence of an observer, and time of day, on welfare indi-cators for working police dogs. Animal Welfare 16: 169Google Scholar
Gates, CM, Sarah Zito, S, Thomas, J and Dale, A 2018 Post-adoption problem behaviours in adolescent and adult dogs rehomed through a New Zealand animal shelter. Animals (Basel)8(6): 93. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani8060093CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goold, C and Newberry R, C 2017 Aggressiveness as a latent personality trait of domestic dogs: Testing local independence and measurement invariance. PLoS ONE 12(8): e0183595. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0183595CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Grigg, EK, Nibblett, BM, Robinson, JQ and Smits, JE 2017 Evaluating pair versus solitary housing in kennelled domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) using behaviour and hair cortisol: a pilot study. Veterinary Record Open 4: e000193. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/vetreco-2016-000193CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Haverbeke, A, Pluijmakers, J and Diederich, C 2015 Behavioral evaluations of shelter dogs: literature review, perspectives, and follow-up within the European member states’ legislation with emphasis on the Belgian situation. Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research 10: 5–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2014.07.004CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hennessy, M, Williams, M, Mellott, C and Douglas, C 1997 Plasma cortisol levels of dogs at a county animal shelter. Physiology & Behavior 62: 485–490. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9384(97)80328-9CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hetts, S, Clark, JD, Calpin, JP, Arnold, CE and Mateo, JM 1992 Influence of housing conditions on beagle behaviour. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 34: 137–155. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0168-1591(05)80063-2CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hewson, CJ, Hiby, EF and Bradshaw, JWS 2007 Assessing quality of life in companion and kennelled dogs: a critical review. Animal Welfare 16: 89–9510.1017/S0962728600031778CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hiby, EF, Rooney, NJ and Bradshaw, JWS 2006 Behavioural and physiological responses of dogs entering re-homing kennels. Physiology & Behavior 89: 385–391. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2006.07.012CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hubrecht, RC, Serpell, JA and Poole, TB 1992 Correlates of pen size and housing conditions on the behaviour of kennelled dogs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 34: 365–383. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-1591(05)80096-6CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Italian Law 281 1991 Legge Quadro in materia d’affezione e prevenzione al randagismo. Gazzetta Ufficiale, n 203, 30 agosto 1991. http://www.salute.gov.it/imgs/C_17_normativa_911_allega-to.pdf. [Title translation: Italian national framework on companion animals and prevention of stray dogs]Google Scholar
Kealy, RD, Lawler, DF, Ballam, JM, Lust, G, Smith, GK, Biery, DN and Olsson, S 1997 Five-year longitudinal study on limited food consumption and development of osteoarthritis in cox-ofemoral joints of dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 210: 222–225Google ScholarPubMed
Kelley, R, Levy, K, Mundell, P and Hayek, MG 2012 Effects of varying doses of a probiotic supplement fed to healthy dogs undergoing kenneling stress. International Journal of Applied Research in Veterinary Medicine 10: 205–216Google Scholar
Kiddie, JL and Collins, LM 2014 Development and validation of a quality of life assessment tool for use in kennelled dogs (Canis familiaris). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 158: 57–68. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2014.05.008CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kiddie, JL and Collins, LM 2015 Identifying environmental and management factors that may be associated with the quality of life of kennelled dogs (Canis familiaris). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 167: 43–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2015.03.007CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lepper, M, Kass, PH and Hart, LA 2002 Prediction of adoption versus euthanasia among dogs and cats in a California animal shel-ter. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 5: 29–42. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327604JAWS0501_3CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marshall, WG, Hazewinkel, HA, Mullen, D, De Meyer, G, Baert, K and Carmichael, S 2010 The effect of weight loss on lameness in obese dogs with osteoarthritis. Veterinary Research Communications 34: 241–253. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11259-010-9348-7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mason, GJ 1991 Stereotypies: a critical review. Animal Behaviour 41: 1015–1037. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0003-3472(05)80640-2CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mason, GJ and Latham, NR 2004 Can't stop, won't stop: is stereo-typy a reliable animal welfare indicator? Animal Welfare 13: 57–6910.1017/S096272860001438XCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Menor-Campos, DJ, Molleda-Carbonell, JM and López-Rodríguez, R 2011 Effects of exercise and human contact on ani-mal welfare in a dog shelter. Veterinary Record 169: 388. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/vr.d4757CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mertens, PA and Unshelm, J 1996 Effects of group and individ-ual housing on the behavior of kennelled dogs in animal shelters. Anthrozoös 9: 40–51. https://doi.org/10.2752/089279396787001662CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miller, L and Zawistowski, S 2015 Housing, husbandry and behavior of dogs in animal shelters. In: Weiss, E, Mohan-Gibbons, H and Zawistowsky, S (eds) Animal Behavior for Shelter Veterinarians and Staff pp 145–159. Wiley Blackwell: New Jersey, USA. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119421313.ch7CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mondelli, F, Prato Previde, E, Verga, M, Levi, D, Magistrelli, S and Valsecchi, P 2004 The bond that never developed: Adoption and relinquishment of dogs in a rescue shelter. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 7: 253–266. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327604jaws0704_3CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morgan, KN and Tromborg, CT 2007 Sources of stress in cap-tivity. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 102: 262–302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2006.05.032CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Normando, S, Contiero, B, Marchesini, G and Ricci, R 2014 Effects of space allowance on the behaviour of long-term housed shelter dogs. Behavioural Process 103: 306–314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2014.01.015CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Normando, S, Corain, L, Salvadorretti, M, Meers, L and Valsecchi, P 2009 Effects of an enhanced human interaction pro-gram on shelter dogs’ behaviour analysed using a novel nonpara-metric test. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 116: 211–219. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2008.10.005CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Normando, S, Stefanini, C, Meers, L, Adamelli, S, Coultis, D and Bono, G 2006 Some factors influencing adoption of shel-tered dogs. Anthrozoös 19: 211–224. https://doi.org/10.2752/089279306785415556CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pati, S, Panda, SK, Acharya, AP, Senapati, S, Behera, M and Behera, SS 2015 Evaluation of geriatric changes in dogs. Veterinary World 8(3): 273–278. http://dx.doi.org/10.14202/vet-world.2015.273-278CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Petak, I 2013 Communication patterns within a group of shelter dogs and implications for their welfare. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 16(2): 118–139. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888705.2013.741001CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Robertson, ID 2003 The association of exercise, diet and other factors with owner-perceived obesity in privately owned dogs from metropolitan Perth, WA. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 58:75–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-5877(03)00009-6CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rousing, T, Bonde, M and Sørensen, JT 2000 Indicators for the assessment of animal welfare in a dairy cattle hers with a cubicle housing system. In: Blokhuis, HJ, Ekkel, ED and Wechsler, B (eds) Improving Health and Welfare in Animal Production pp 45–52. Wageningen Publications: Wageningen, The NetherlandsGoogle Scholar
Shore, ES 2005 Returning a recently adopted companion animal: adopters’ reasons for and reactions to the failed adoption experi-ence. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 8(3): 187–198. http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/s15327604jaws0803_3CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Siettou, C, Fraser, IM and Fraser, RW 2014 Investigating some of the factors that influence ‘consumer’ choice when adopting a shelter dog in the United Kingdom. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 17: 136–147. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888705.2014.883924CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stavisky, J, Radford, AD, Gaskell, R, Dawson, S, German, A, Parsons, B, Clegg, S, Newman, J and Pinchbeck, G 2011 A case-control study of pathogen and lifestyle risk factors for diar-rhoea in dogs. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 99: 185–192. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2011.02.009CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Taylor, KD and Mills, DS 2007 The effects of the kennel envi-ronment on canine welfare: a critical review of experimental stud-ies. Animal Welfare 16: 435–44710.1017/S0962728600027378CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Valsecchi, P, Barnard, S, Stefanini, C and Normando, S 2011 Temperament test for re-homed dogs validated through direct behavioral observation in shelter and home environment. Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research 6(3): 161–177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2011.01.002CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Valsecchi, P, Pattacini, O, Beretta, V, Bertozzi, J, Zannoni, S, Viggiani, R and Accorsi, PA 2007 Effects of a human social enrichment program on behavior and welfare of sheltered dogs. Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research 2:88–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2007.04.017CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Welfare Quality® 2009 Welfare Quality® assessment protocol for pigs (saws and piglets, growing and finishing pigs). Welfare Quality® Consortium: Leystad, The NetherlandsGoogle Scholar
Wells, DL 2004 A review of environmental enrichment of ken-nelled dogs (Canis familiaris). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 85:307–317. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2003.11.005CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wells, DL, Graham, L and Hepper, PG 2002 The influence of length of time in a rescue shelter on the behaviour of kennelled dogs. Animal Welfare 11: 317–32510.1017/S0962728600024891CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wells, DL and Hepper, PG 2000 Prevalence of behaviour prob-lems reported by owners of dogs purchased from an animal res-cue shelter. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 69: 55–65 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0168-1591(00)00118-0CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Žák, J, Voslárová, E, Vecerek, V and Bedánová, I 2015 Sex, age and size as factors affecting the length of stay of dogs in Czech shelters. Acta Veterinaria Brno 84: 407–413. https://doi.org/10.2754/avb201584040407CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Arena et al. supplementary material
Download undefined(File)
File 131 KB