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Epidemiological study of Ohio animal shelters and lost and found pet population issues

Lord, Linda K.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1163187060

Abstract Details

2006, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Veterinary Preventive Medicine.
The issues involved in animal sheltering and pet population dynamics continue to be a major focus of epidemiological research. The research described herein addresses trends in animal shelter populations and basic epidemiological questions related to search and identification methods involved in the lost pet reunification process. The research on trends in animal shelter populations describes trends that have occurred in animal care and control agencies in Ohio between 1996 and 2004. This current research involved using a mail survey instrument to collect information from Ohio animal agencies for the year 2004 and comparing the information to results collected in prior years starting in 1996. There has been a significant decline in canine intake and euthanasia numbers for dogs, however these numbers have increased for cats. Overall for all animals, medical care and veterinary relationships have significantly improved. For county dog warden agencies, the odds of euthanasia declined for dogs handled by an agency with a spay/neuter policy. The remaining part of this research addresses basic epidemiological questions on how pets that become lost are reunited with their owners. A telephone survey instrument was used to interview owners who had lost a dog or cat in Dayton, Ohio to identify search methods the owners used to try and find their pets, pet identification methods used, and which methods resulted in reunification. The study showed that a much higher percentage of dogs were reunited with their owners, and that the animal sheltering system primarily resulted in reunification. For cats, the majority reunited with their owners came home on their own and no particular search method seemed to help with reunification. Overall, there were also great differences between pet identification used by owners for dogs and cats. A similar telephone survey was also conducted with people who found pets they perceived to be lost in the same study area. This group believed it was very important to find the owners but most were unable to do so. The findings from this research on lost pets lay the groundwork for further study of improving pet reunification.
Thomas Wittum (Advisor)
141 p.
pet overpopulation; animal shelter survey; lost pets; found pets; group randomized trials; pet population demographics; pet identification

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Lord, L. K. (2006). Epidemiological study of Ohio animal shelters and lost and found pet population issues [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1163187060

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Lord, Linda. Epidemiological study of Ohio animal shelters and lost and found pet population issues. 2006. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1163187060.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Lord, Linda. "Epidemiological study of Ohio animal shelters and lost and found pet population issues." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2006. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1163187060

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1163187060
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© 2006, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.