Abstract
Simple SummaryAn important part of zookeepers’ work consists of monitoring and assessing zoo animal welfare. In this study, we investigated zookeepers’ perception of the importance and fulfilment of zoo canids’ fundamental freedoms, and how it correlates with their job satisfaction. Our findings suggest that zookeepers perceive zoo canids’ freedoms to be important, but not as much guaranteed, especially those related to psychological aspects of welfare. However, zookeepers’ female gender is associated with a more positive perception of both the importance and fulfilment of these freedoms. Overall, zookeepers who reported a more positive perception of the fulfilment of zoo canids’ freedoms, as well as a stronger keeper–animal bond, appeared to be more satisfied with their job, in general. Our findings suggest that zoos should put more efforts in ensuring their canids the protection of fundamental freedoms, especially those related to psychological aspects of welfare. Furthermore, enhancing zoo canid welfare, as well as promoting management procedures that allow the development of proper keeper–canid interactions, may increase job satisfaction among zookeepers.Recently, zookeepers’ role in monitoring and assessing zoo animal welfare is gaining importance. One hundred-sixteen zoo canid keepers responded to an online questionnaire aimed at assessing, on a 1 to 5 scoring scale, their perception of the importance and fulfilment of the Brambell’s Freedoms for zoo canids, the bond with canids under their care, and their level of job satisfaction. Results showed that zookeepers perceive the Brambell’s Freedoms as highly important (median = 5, min–max = 3–5), but not equally guaranteed (median = 3, min–max = 1–5, p < 0.01). Although there was no difference in their perception of the importance of each freedom, those related to psychological issues (median = 3, min–max = 1–5) were perceived as significantly less guaranteed than those addressing physical needs (median = 4.5, min–max = 1–5, Mann–Whitney U test, p < 0.01). Female zookeepers tended to perceive all freedoms as more important (Ordinal Logistic Regression model, p = 0.009), as well as more guaranteed (Ordinal Logistic Regression model, p = 0.007), than male zookeepers. Regardless of gender, a more positive perception of the Brambell’s Freedoms for zoo canids was associated with higher job satisfaction (Mann–Whitney U test, p < 0.01, ρ = 0.241). The latter was also positively correlated with zookeepers’ perception of the strength of the bond with the canids under their care (Spearman Rho’s correlation, p = 0.01, ρ = 0.230). Our results highlight the need for zoos to focus on guaranteeing psychological welfare of their canids. Enhancing animal welfare may increase zookeepers’ job satisfaction.
Highlights
Public awareness about animal welfare has been progressively growing over the last few decades [1].In response, international and national associations of zoos and aquaria have adopted internal policies aimed at achieving and maintaining high welfare standards for the animals under their care [2].For several years, zoo animal welfare assessment has followed a resource-based approach, which focused on the evaluation of environmental and management factors that may indirectly compromise welfare [3]
Among all the demographic factors investigated, statistically significant differences were found in relation to gender (Mann–Whitney U = 918000, p = 0.004) and to the country where the respondents worked (Kruskal–Wallis test χ2 = 26.569, df = 16, p < 0.050)
Zookeepers’ median percentage of maximum possible (POMP) score on the fulfilment of the Brambell’s Five Freedoms was 70 out of 100, with a good Cronbach’s alpha score of 0.82. Demographic factors, such as gender, age, country of work, primary motivation for working as a zookeeper, years working as a zookeeper, years working as a canid keeper, educational level, attendance to animal welfare courses, number of zoos worked at, species of canids taken care of, dog ownership and time spent in proximity with zoo canids were investigated
Summary
Zoo animal welfare assessment has followed a resource-based approach, which focused on the evaluation of environmental and management factors that may indirectly compromise welfare [3]. Zoo facilities and welfare researchers have progressively switched their focused towards animal-based types of assessment in order to be able to ensure individual well-being [2,4,5,6]. In this scientific context, zookeepers have become a valuable tool for assessing zoo animals’ level of welfare [2,7,8].
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