Abstract

The present study evaluates the welfare of shelter dogs in Sardinia using physiologic and ethologic parameters like ematochemical analysis on blood samples and ethogram to assess the adoptability index of each dog . In Italy animal shelters suffer different problems like overpopulation, lack of human and economic resources. It is important to test the welfare of shelter dogs and to evaluate their ethologic characteristics and personality traits to evidence any behavioral disorder. Many dogs are relinquished to shelters because of behavioural problems so a goal could be reduce the number of relinquished dogs giving consultancy services to those people who want to adopt. The main aim of shelters should be giving dogs in adoption and the success of the adoptions. Other important factor is to improve all the structural requirements to convert the shelters into pleasant places in which animals can express all behavioural patterns typical of the species.
The results of this study didn’t show any severe alteration attributable to lack of welfare neither any severe disease. The dogs examined didn’t show any behavioral problem attributable to poor welfare conditions. This results indicate a relatively good management of the shelters subject of this study but in our opinion is important to carry out programs to improve adoption rates and to avoid rerelinquisment following adoption.

I documenti depositati in UnissResearch sono protetti dalle leggi che regolano il diritto d'autore