Dog welfare using the Shelter Quality Protocol in long-term shelters in Minas Gerais State, Brazil

Abstract

In shelters, dogs must cope with various stressors, and low adoption rates can result in overcrowded facilities. This study aimed to generate a descriptive analysis of dog welfare in a sample of long-term shelters in Minas Gerais State, Brazil, under municipal public authority or non-governmental organizations. Using the Shelter Quality Protocol (SQP), 588 dogs and 201 enclosures were evaluated in 19 shelters in 13 cities from November 2019 to January 2020, generating a descriptive analysis that identified these establishments’ critical aspects. The predominant welfare hazards identified in shelter management were a lack of rehoming and admission policies, preventive healthcare programs, and trained staff; and, in shelter environments, bedding inadequacy, surfaces that were difficult to keep clean, behavioral problems, and a lack of rehabilitation programs. We found many critical design aspects in the 19 shelters from Minas Gerais State and in dog management procedures that resulted in poor well-being, which must be promptly corrected to provide optimal welfare to the housed dogs.