Risk Factors for Dog Relinquishment to a Los Angeles Municipal Animal Shelter

Animals

Emily D. Dolan⁴  Jamie Scotto³  Margaret Slater¹  Emily Weiss² 

[1] Shelter Research and Development, Community Outreach, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA^®), 50 Stone Ridge Drive, Florence, MA 01062, USA; E-Mail:;Shelter Research and Development, Community Outreach, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA^®), 3201 SW Winding Way, Palm City, FL 34990, USA; E-Mail:;Shelter Research and Development, Community Outreach, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA^®), 520 8th Ave, New York, NY 10018, USA; E-Mail:;Shelter Research and Development, Community Outreach, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA^®), 307 NE Thornton Place #510, Seattle, WA 98125, USA

关键词: pet relinquishment;    animal shelter;    poverty;    dogs;    perceived stress;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ani5040413

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Low income has been reported to be a risk factor for dog relinquishment to shelters in the U.S. The majority of people with lower incomes, however, do not relinquish. Risk factors for relinquishment in a low socioeconomic region of Los Angeles were examined. Cost was associated with relinquishment, and most people were not aware of available assistance. Those who relinquished reported emotional attachment to the dog and higher perceived stress than a comparison group. The majority of reasons for relinquishment were likely solvable with assistance, highlighting an opportunity to provide community-specific alternatives to relinquishment.

Dog relinquishment is a large component of shelter intake in the United States. Research has shown traits of the dog are associated with relinquishment as well as general characteristics of those relinquishing. Low income is often cited as a risk factor for relinquishment. The majority of people with lower incomes, however, do not relinquish. A group of people accessing a shelter in a low socioeconomic region of Los Angeles to relinquish their dogs was surveyed. This study examined risk factors for relinquishment, controlling for household income, compared to a group utilizing low cost spay/neuter services. A total of 76.9% of those relinquishing noted cost as a reason for relinquishment. Of participants in the relinquishment group, 80.7% reported not being aware of any services available to them. Most notable in the findings was that the odds of relinquishment were generally higher as the amount of perceived stress in the home in the past three months increased. The majority of people in both groups reported being emotionally attached to the dog. In this sample from a South Los Angeles community, the majority of reasons for relinquishment were likely solvable with assistance. These findings highlight an opportunity to assess community needs and provide community specific alternatives to relinquishment.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.