Dog Adoption Research Articles

Inspired to Adopt: The Role of Social Norms in Media Inspiration

We consider the potential for inspirational media content (inspiring videos about dogs) and injunctive norms (social media comments on the videos) to motivate dog adoption behaviors and intentions. In an online experiment, participants were exposed to pretested inspiring (or non-inspiring) videos and social norms cues and were given an opportunity to browse among a series of dogs on a mock adoption website. Participants also indicated their intention to adopt a dog and completed a series of socio-demographic measures. Results indicated that, although both the inspiring videos and the norm cues successfully induced inspiration and perceived injunctive norms, only injunctive norms significantly affected intention to adopt. The effect of norms remained significant when controlling for barriers to adoption such as financial, time, and space considerations. Discussion focuses on implications for inspiring entertainment and social norms theories, and implications for adoptions and other prosocial behaviors.

Good-looking vs. Obedient, Which Would You Rather Take Home? Appearance and Behavioral Predictors Affecting the Adoption of Shelter Dogs in Slovakia

ABSTRACT The aim of the study was to investigate the key factors influencing the successful adoption of dogs from dog shelters in Slovakia. The study covered the following factors in relation to individual dogs: time spent at the shelter, age, body weight, sex, coat color, length of the coat, and behavior (specifically intraspecific aggression, aggression toward humans, activity, and fear-related behavior). The survey was conducted in three shelters in the territory of the Slovak Republic. The online and on-site questionnaires of about 162 successfully adopted dogs were collected and were filled in by the shelter staff, those who accepted dogs into the shelter. Non-parametric statistics (Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis H test followed by Dunn’s multiple comparisons test with correction) confirmed that the most important factors influencing the decision-making process of potential adopters were the age of the dog and its weight. However, we found that the length or color of the coat and sex had no effect on early adoption. While behavior is important during the prospective adopter/owner’s interaction with the dog, it is still not the most important criterion in making a decision.

Make Me a Match: Prevalence and Outcomes Associated with Matching Programs in Dog Adoptions

ABSTRACT Animal shelters and rescues are typically judged on their live release rates. The number of companion animals adopted and then returned to the shelter is not as frequently considered. Matching programs are implemented to reduce the chances that a companion animal will be returned after adoption by assuring the best possible “match” between adopter needs, wants, and lifestyles, and the behaviors and needs of the animal. This research is based on data from 370 animal shelters and rescues across the US and assesses the prevalence of and the relationship between different aspects of matching programs and outcomes such as return, live release, and euthanasia rates, and days in the shelter. Several elements of matching programs appear to be associated with positive outcomes: conducting matching conversations before potential adopters see any dogs, showing only dogs that are a good match, and limiting choice to those dogs that are deemed the best fit.

Human\u2013dog relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic: booming dog adoption during social isolation

The recent COVID-19 pandemic led to uncertainty and severe health and economic concerns. Previous studies indicated that owning a companion animal, such as a dog or a cat, has benefits for good mental health. Interactions with animals may help with depression and anxiety, particularly under stress-prone conditions. Human–animal interactions may even improve peer-to-peer social relationships, as well as enhance feelings of respect, trust, and empathy between people. Interestingly, it has also been shown that stress and poor well-being of dog owners negatively affect the well-being of their companion animals. However, a dramatic increase in dog abandonment could potentially occur due to COVID-19 related health, economic and social stresses, as well as due to the inconclusive reports of companion animals being potential COVID-19 carriers. Such a scenario may lead to high costs and considerable public health risks. Accordingly, we hypothesized that the COVID-19 pandemic, and the related social isolation, might lead to dramatic changes in human–dog bidirectional relationships. Using unique prospective and retrospective datasets, our objectives were to investigate how people perceived and acted during the COVID-19 pandemic social isolation, in regards to dog adoption and abandonment; and to examine the bidirectional relationship between the well-being of dog owners and that of their dogs. Overall, according to our analysis, as the social isolation became more stringent during the pandemic, the interest in dog adoption and the adoption rate increased significantly, while abandonment did not change. Moreover, there was a clear association between an individual’s impaired quality of life and their perceptions of a parallel deterioration in the quality of life of their dogs and reports of new behavioral problems. As humans and dogs are both social animals, these findings suggest potential benefits of the human–dog relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic, in accordance with the One Welfare approach that implies that there is a bidirectional connection between the welfare and health of humans and non-human animals. As our climate continues to change, more disasters including pandemics will likely occur, highlighting the importance of research into crisis-driven changes in human–animal relationships.

Phenotypic Characteristics Associated with Shelter Dog Adoption in the United States.

Simple SummaryUnited States animal shelters care for unwanted dogs until they are adopted, transferred to another facility, or euthanized. Certain characteristics have been previously studied to determine the adoptability of shelter dogs possessing such traits. However, previous studies are typically limited in sample size, shelter geographic location, and/or the number of shelters participating in the study; these reduce the generalizability of the results. To better understand predicters of shelter dog adoptability, the aim of this study was to identify dog characteristics predictive of adoption. This study helps us understand adopters’ preferences for certain shelter dogs, which may be useful to help shelters increase adoption rates and ultimately reduce shelter dog euthanasia.The objective of this study was to identify phenotypic characteristics of dogs predictive of adoption after being received into a shelter. Individual dog records for 2017 were requested from shelters in five states that received municipal funding and utilized electronic record keeping methods. Records from 17 shelters were merged into a dataset of 19,514 potentially adoptable dogs. A simple random sample of 4500 dogs was used for modelling. Variables describing coat length, estimated adult size, and skull type were imputed from breed phenotype. A Cox proportional hazard model with a random effect of shelter was developed for the outcome of adoption using manual forward variable selection. Significance for model inclusion was set at alpha = 0.05. Dogs from shelters in the North were more likely to be adopted than dogs from shelters in the South (hazard ratio (HR) = 3.13, 95% C.I. 1.27–7.67), as were dogs from Western shelters versus those from Southern shelters (HR = 3.81, 95% C.I. 1.43–10.14). The effect of estimated adult size, skull type, and age group on adoption were each modified by time in the shelter (p < 0.001). The results of this study indicate that what dogs look like is predictive of their hazard for adoption from shelters, but the effect of some characteristics on hazard for adoption depend on time in the shelter. Further, this study demonstrates that adopters prefer a certain phenotype of shelter dog including those that are puppies, small sized and not brachycephalic, when accounting for time in the sheltering environment.

A label's a label, no matter the dog: Evaluating the generalizability of the removal of breed labels from adoption cards.

A common barrier to entry for New York City (NYC) dog adopters trying to rent apartments is the breed label the animal shelter assigned to their dog, despite the fact the labelling is primarily based on intuition and appearance. Bideawee, a limited admission shelter with three locations in the greater New York area, including one in NYC, phased out breed labels from their adoption cards in December 2017. In this study, we evaluated the generalizability of previous findings, specifically, that the removal of breed labels from adoption cards affected length of stay. Moreover, due to Bideawee's multi-location structure, this study provided a unique opportunity to compare variables across different shelter sites while having shelter administration practices held constant. Data from 16-month time periods before and after breed labels were removed was compared. The median length of stay of a dog at Bideawee decreased by 11.3 days (-37.3%) once breed labels were removed (Mdn = 19.0) compared to when breed labels were in place (Mdn = 30.3). A Mann Whitney test indicated that this difference was statistically significant (U(Nno breed labels = 1259, Nbreed labels = 987) = 386309.5, z = -15.41, p < .001). Dogs with a "green" behavior assessments (on a scale of green, blue, yellow, red) were almost four and a half times more likely to be adopted faster than "red" dogs (HR: 4.495, 95% CI 2.755-7.335, p < .001) before breed labels were removed, but only two times as likely to be adopted faster afterwards (HR: 2.220, 95% CI 1.514-3.254, p < .001). The return rate stayed constant across the two time periods at 6%. These findings provide new insights on dog adoptions in the NYC area and suggest that the removal of breed labels will help all dogs get adopted from animal shelters.

Old friends make the best friends: A counter-narrative of aging for people and pets

This study examines the counter-narrative of aging—Old Friends Make the Best Friends—that nonprofit animal rescue organizations collaboratively construct to encourage the adoption of senior dogs and cats. Textual analysis of organizational websites revealed three coordinated strategies for challenging negative assumptions and changing public sentiment: education and advocacy, supportive services, and appeals to altruism. Together, the organizations endorse senior pets as potentially damaged but always resilient, deserving of care and still capable of meaningful life. In doing so, they disrupt dominant scripts of aging as decline with support for the human-animal bond in later life. Ultimately, this counter-narrative normalizes the lived realities of aging for pets and people: It champions the promises of old age by advocating for senior animals and pet guardianship in later life, and it acknowledges the inherent challenges of old age by providing financial, material, and emotional resources to manage the care of senior pets, older adults, and the relationships that sustain them.

Dogs Feared and Dogs Loved: Human-Dog Relations in the Late Ottoman Empire

Abstract The current study investigates human-animal relations with a specific focus on the case of dogs in the late Ottoman Empire. It contextualizes the new type of animal-human relations against the backdrop of the Ottoman modernization efforts, which took the form of institutional, legal, political and social reforms, and relates the adoption of dogs as pet (companion) animals to the global trends of keeping pets in Western Europe. In so doing, it scrutinizes the various religious, medical and professional perspectives concerning dogs and the human world in the late Ottoman Empire; the purchase and transfer of breed dogs from Europe and the middle classes’ responses to this new form of relationship; and finally, the dissemination of pet-keeping culture and practices among Ottoman upper and middle classes.

A Multi-Site Feasibility Assessment of Implementing a Best-Practices Meet-And-Greet Intervention in Animal Shelters in the United States.

Simple SummaryResearchers create and validate interventions to improve life-saving measures in animal shelters; however, if the animal shelters are not capable of integrating these new interventions into their existing procedures, then the benefit of research is lost. Therefore, research is also needed to assess not only the efficacy of the intervention, but also the feasibility of the new intervention for shelters. This study enrolled nine animal shelters in the United States and, using an educational session consisting of a lecture, demonstration, and role-play, encouraged them to update their current meet-and-greet procedure to the established best practice. Results showed that a single educational session was insufficient. The identified challenges included not remembering the procedures, opposing opinions of volunteers and staff, lack of resources, and a procedural drift effect in which the protocol was changed across time. These findings highlight the need for researchers to find useful ways to educate animal shelters, so that new research can be incorporated into shelter protocols and result in maximum life-saving measures of homeless companion animals.Animal shelters must incorporate empirically validated programs to increase life-saving measures; however, altering existing protocols is often a challenge. The current study assessed the feasibility of nine animal shelters within the United States to replicate a validated procedure for introducing an adoptable dog with a potential adopter (i.e., “meet-and-greet”) following an educational session. Each of the shelters were first entered into the “baseline” condition, where introduction between adoptable dogs and potential adopters were as usual. After a varying number of months, each shelter entered into the “experimental” phase, where staff and volunteers were taught best practices for a meet-and-greet using lecture, demonstration, and role-play. Data on the likelihood of adoption following a meet-and-greet were collected with automated equipment installed in meet-and-greet areas. Data on feasibility and treatment integrity were collected with questionnaires administered to volunteers and staff followed by a focus group. We found that a single educational session was insufficient to alter the meet-and-greet protocol; challenges included not remembering the procedure, opposing opinions of volunteers and staff, lack of resources, and a procedural drift effect in which the protocol was significantly altered across time. In turn, no animal shelters increased their dog adoptions in the “experimental” phase. New research is needed to develop effective educational programs to encourage animal shelters to incorporate empirical findings into their protocols.

239 Stray and abandoned dog overpopulation management- Israel’s unique system

Abstract Dog overpopulation is a major problem worldwide, which impacts animal welfare and health, as well as public health. In Israel, a unique governmental database is managed in order to enforce mandatory dog registration and rabies yearly vaccination policy. In addition, since 2012, a unique online searchable database has been gathering most homeless pets offered for adoption from non-profit organizations and municipal shelters (http://Yad4.co.il). Our objectives were (1) to investigate the registered dog population in Israel and to assess its association to the abandoned dog population; and (2) to reveal the risk factors for a dog to be adopted or to stay at the shelter. Data analyses included 758,288 registered dogs and 22,545 adoptable dogs. Analyses revealed that only 214,101 out of the 343,872 dogs that are registered as “active” are known to have owners. Approximately 40,000 dogs “disappear” from the database every year, which means that some of them may be abandoned. Multi-Variate Linear regression strengthened it by revealing that the number of abandoned dogs increased by the numbers of active registered dogs and dogs which had “disappeared” from the database in the previous year (P &amp;lt; 0.05). Among the registered dogs, 8% were younger than one year, but only 1.7% of the abandoned dogs were that young. Among these dogs, the risk factors to stay at the shelter were when the dogs were described as: “mix-breed”, “male”, “suitable for senior” or “for athletes” (P &amp;lt; 0.05). In conclusion, a governmental national database is an important dog population management tool, with the potential to predict the number of abandoned dogs. Since most abandoned dogs are older than one year, promoting responsible ownership would be vital. Moreover, a national online database, such as Yad4 website, may successfully improve dog adoption rate, while dogs’ description online significantly impacts the adoption chances.

A comparison of four environmental enrichments on adoptability of shelter dogs

Many animal shelters implement enrichment programs as a means of improving dogs' behavior and reducing the stress of the shelter environment. These programs, however, require significant amounts of time and money. In this study, dogs in an animal shelter received the standard environmental enhancement of twice-daily walks. One group received only the standard enhancement (walking). Three other groups also received one of three enhanced enrichment programs: a daily food-dispensing toy (toy), a daily session of standardized human contact (petting), or daily obedience training (obedience). These enrichment sessions occurred for five to seven days. The effects of these enrichments on the dogs' adoption frequency and time to adoption were evaluated. Ninety-two enrolled dogs became available for adoption; of these, 98% were adopted. There were no differences in proportions of dogs adopted or in time to adoption among enrichment groups (all P > 0.05). Overall, the enrichment programs had no effect on adoption frequency or time to adoption. However, it must be noted that most dogs (80%) were adopted by the second day of being made available for adoption (day 9).

Stated and revealed preferences in companion animal choice

Humans often say they prefer certain attributes and trait levels and yet choose options inconsistent with those preferences, a phenomenon known as the stated-revealed preference gap. In this article, we compare preferences and choices in the decision to adopt a dog, a social-choice problem that is largely one-sided. We used existing and newly gathered field data about the dog adoption process to study how people make their choices of companion animals and how those choices can be improved. We found that in the real-world choice of dogs within an animal shelter, individuals generally showed a large amount of overlap between their stated preferences and their ratings of the traits of their chosen dog. However, there was little relationship between an adopter's perceptions of their chosen dog's behavioral traits and third-party in-shelter behavior evaluations of the same dogs, suggesting that it is difficult to predict which dogs will satisfy an adopter's preferences. We also tested which commonly collected factors impact how quickly dogs are adopted from animal shelters. Overall, this work provides insight into the process of combining experimentally collected data and big data to elucidate choice behavior.

Dog importation and changes in heartworm prevalence in Colorado 2013\u20132017

BackgroundAnimal welfare organizations, in order to increase dog adoptions and reduce euthanasia of homeless dogs, are transporting large numbers of dogs from state-to-state. Only approximately 1/3 of animal welfare organizations reportedly test for heartworm infection, treat, or provide heartworm prevention prior to transporting dogs. The reported prevalence of heartworms in dogs in animal shelters or rescued following natural disasters ranges between 14.6–48.8%. This analysis was conducted to evaluate the correlation between dog importation and heartworm prevalence in dogs in Colorado.MethodsData were obtained from the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) interactive heartworm prevalence maps and the Colorado Department of Agriculture Pet Animal Care Facilities Program (PACFA) in order to analyze the relationship between dog importation and the changes in prevalence of heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) in Colorado from 2013 to 2017.ResultsThe prevalence of heartworms in Colorado dogs has increased 67.5% between 2013–2017. From 2014 to 2017, more than 114,000 dogs were imported into Colorado by over 130 animal shelters and rescue organizations, which could represent approximately 9.5% of the total estimated 2017 Colorado dog population of nearly 1.2 million dogs. Three large Colorado-based organizations responded to requests for details regarding the originating states from which they received dogs. The majority of these dogs were apparently shipped to Colorado from states with higher heartworm prevalence. New Mexico represented the source of the greatest number of relocated dogs, accounting for just over 30%. Nearly half (49%) of the dogs relocated by these three organizations came from either Texas or Oklahoma.ConclusionsAnimal welfare organizations and veterinarians should increase the testing and prevention of heartworm infections in dogs both prior to, and following, transportation from areas with high heartworm prevalence. Repeated testing is recommended due to the 6-month pre-patent-period associated with D. immitis. Veterinarians and pet owners should increase vigilance with heartworm testing and prevention, even in areas with historically low heartworm prevalence. Movement of dogs from highly endemic areas may increase the risks of local transmission.

Coat Color of Shelter Dogs and Its Role in Dog Adoption

AbstractCoat color influenced the likelihood of a dog being reclaimed from a shelter as well as the length of stay (LOS) of abandoned dogs at the shelter. The shortestLOSwas found in brindle and multicolor dogs (median time until adoption: 17 and 18 days, respectively) followed by white, fawn, red, brown, black and tan, and grey dogs. Black dogs had the greatestLOS(median 32 days). In lost dogs, coat color had no significant effect on the time spent at a shelter, the median time until a dog was reclaimed by his/her caretaker being one day, irrespective of the coat color. However, the results of our study suggest that black, brown, and brindle dogs are more likely to be abandoned by their caretakers, and that fawn, black and tan, grey, and red dogs, if lost, have a better chance of being reclaimed by their caretakers.

The effect of adopter’s gender on shelter dog selection preferences

A retrospective analysis of dog adoption records was performed with the aim to determine the differences in preferences of male and female adopters in the Czech Republic. From January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2016, 955 dogs were adopted out of a selected shelter. Significantly (P= 0.03) more dogs were adopted by women than by men (52.6% vs 47.4%, respectively). No preference (P= 0.06) for adopting a dog of the same or opposite sex as the adopter’s was found. Women adopted more (P= 0.02) small dogs and men more (P= 0.004) large dogs, while the adoption rate of medium dogs did not differ (P= 0.16) between men and women. Significantly more (P= 0.05) older dogs were adopted by women than by men. With the exception of brown dogs (adopted more often by women) and black dogs with dark markings (adopted more often by men), dogs with different coat colors were adopted equally by men and women. No difference was found between the ratio of crossbred and purebred dogs adopted by men and women. This study fills gaps in scientific knowledge on adopters’ preferences. Women are more willing to adopt dogs including those that may require special care (older dogs). However, women are less likely to adopt large dogs. The lower number of male adopters may be the reason why large dogs are often reported to be difficult to rehome. To remedy this, shelter operators should explore ways how to address men if they have large dogs available for adoption.

PSXIII-7 Statistics and Tendencies for Dog Adoptions in the State of Washington.

Shelters often experience overcrowding, understaffing, lack of resources and economic issues that are reflected in animal stress and poor welfare. The aim of the present study was to analyze statistical tendencies to determine the length of stay (LOS) of dogs in shelters in Washington state between 2010–2017. Data on 7407 dogs from five shelters were included in the analysis. The average LOS was 21.7 days, ranging from 0–1834.0 days. Statistical differences were observed among shelters (Pwas statistically different regarding LOS (P (juveniles 15 years: 59.4 days). Breed also affected LOS (PAccording to intake type (reason why they enter the shelter), LOS was statistically different (P<0.001) (surrendered: 33.5 days, seized: 30.9 days, clinic: 0.17 days, stray: 9.9 days, transferred: 13.9 days, and unknown: 60.3 days). Likewise, outcome type (reason why the leave the shelter) was statistically different (P<0.001) (adopted: 33.5 days, clinic-out: 2.1 days, died: 27.7 days, euthanized: 2.9 days, transferred: 15.3 days, returned to owner: 6.9 days, fostered: 184.0 days and unknown outcome: 33.5 days). Finally, a significant interaction between breed, age and intake type (P<0.0001) and breed, age and outcome type (P<0.0001) was observed. In conclusion, some characteristics inherent to the dog such as breed and age influence the intake and outcome of the permanence at the shelter, therefore future strategies to target adoptions based on these characteristics will decrease the duration of stay and maximize shelter resources ultimately improving animal welfare.

Exploring Social Desirability Bias in Perceptions of Dog Adoption: All's Well that Ends Well? Or Does the Method of Adoption Matter?

Simple SummaryDog adoption is often cited as an ethical and popular method of acquisition but interpretation of the term ‘adoption’ may vary. In a nationally representative survey of the U.S., 767 respondents were asked questions regarding their opinions of dog acquisition including adoption. Within the sample, 45% had a dog; of those, 40% had adopted a dog and 47% visited a veterinarian once a year. Respondents’ preferences for the most ethical method of dog adoption were elicited using a survey instrument. Our results indicate that respondents had the largest preference share for adoption from a municipal animal shelter’ (56%) and the smallest preference share for adoption from a pet store (3%). Dog acquisition was further evaluated by creating an index of social desirability bias comparing how important respondents believed certain dog characteristics were and how important respondents believed others would rate/rank the same dog characteristics. The highest incidences of social desirability bias occurred for the dog characteristics of appearance and breed.Dogs are a popular companion animal in the United States; however, dog acquisition is often a contentious subject. Adoption is often cited as an ethical and popular method of acquisition but interpretation of the term ‘adoption’ may vary. In a nationally representative survey of the U.S., 767 respondents were asked questions regarding their opinions of dog acquisition and adoption. Within the sample, 45% had a dog; of those, 40% had adopted a dog, and 47% visited a veterinarian once a year. A best-worst choice experiment, where respondents were asked to choose the most ethical and least ethical method of acquiring a dog from a statistically determined set of choices, was used to elicit respondents’ preferences for the most ethical method of dog adoption. A random parameters logit and a latent class model were used to estimate relative rankings of dog adoption methods. In the random parameters logit model, the largest preference share was for adoption from a municipal animal shelter (56%) and the smallest preference share was for adoption from a pet store (3%). Dog acquisition was further evaluated by creating an index of social desirability bias using how important respondents believed certain dog characteristics were compared to how important respondents believed others would rate/rank the same dog characteristics. The highest incidences of social desirability bias occurred for the dog characteristics of appearance and breed.

Epidemiological characteristics of outpatients exposed to rabies in Weinan City in 2017

Objective To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of outpatients exposed to rabies and to analyze the post-exposure prophylaxis in Weinan City in 2017 in order to provide a scientific basis for the prevention of rabies. Methods Clinical data of all outpatients with exposure to rabies in Wei-nan were collected.Ecxcel 2007 was used for data entry and SPSS13.0 for Chi-square test. Results A total of 32 094 cases were reported with an annual exposure rate of 625.64/100 000 in Weinan in 2017.Animal bites mainly occurred in spring and summer, accounting for 47.47% of the total cases in 2017.There were statistically differences in exposure rate among different age groups (χ2=15.858, P=0.003). Farmers accounted for the largest proportion of the outpatients exposed to rabies (52.34%). Among 31 435 outpatients, 28 181(89.65%) received wound care and rabies vaccination.The vaccination rate of rabies immunoglobulin for patients with grade Ⅲ exposure was 46.93%. Conclusion Comprehensive measures with focuses on compulsory vaccination for domestic dogs and adoption of stray dogs should be implemented to prevent human rabies.Meanwhile, health education rabieson prevention and control should also be strengthened. Key words: Rabies; Exposure; Rabies post-exposure prophylaxis clinic

Post-Adoption Problem Behaviours in Adolescent and Adult Dogs Rehomed through a New Zealand Animal Shelter.

Simple SummaryProblem behaviours in dogs rehomed through animal shelters can jeopardise the long-term success of adoptions if not correctly managed. Data from 61 adolescent and adult dog adoptions that occurred through an animal shelter in Auckland, New Zealand, was analysed to identify the most common problem behaviours affecting adopted dogs and how concerned the new owners were about these problem behaviours. The majority of dogs had at least one reported problem behaviour; the most frequently reported problem behaviours were poor manners, destruction of household items, and excessively high energy. Very few dogs showed territorial aggression when objects or food items were removed, but aggression toward people or other dogs were both reported in nearly a fifth of dogs. The majority (87%) of adopters whose dog had some problem behaviours were not concerned at all or were a little concerned, and only three adopters were very concerned. Based on our interpretation of these findings, post-adoption support programmes targeted toward teaching adopters how to correctly train their dogs may be beneficial to increasing adoption satisfaction.Problem behaviours in dogs rehomed through animal shelters can jeopardise the long-term success of adoptions. In this study, data from 61 adolescent and adult dog adoptions that occurred through an animal shelter in Auckland, New Zealand, from 1 November 2015 to 31 July 2016 were analysed to describe the frequency of problem behaviours and level of adopter concern at different time points post-adoption. Amongst the 57 dogs with behavioural information available, 40 (70%) had at least one reported problem behaviour, and the most frequently reported problem behaviours were poor manners (46%), destruction of household items (30%), and excessively high energy (28%). Very few dogs showed territorial aggression when objects or food items were removed (2% and 4%, respectively). However, aggression toward people or other dogs was frequently reported (19% and 19%, respectively). Of the 54 adopters that provided a response about their level of concern over their dog’s problem behaviours, 24 (44%) were not concerned at all, 23 (43%) were a little concerned, 4 (7%) were moderately concerned, and 3 (6%) were very concerned. Based on our interpretation of these findings, post-adoption support programmes targeted toward teaching adopters how to correctly train their dogs may be beneficial to increasing adoption satisfaction.

Developing successful cause-related marketing campaigns through social-networks the moderating role of users’ age

This paper joins two streams of literature: caused-related marketing and viral advertising. Three main objectives guide our work: (i) to test whether a transfer of attitudes occurs in a viral cause-related marketing campaign (ii) to test the effectiveness of viral videos promoting a social cause (intention to share through social networks); (iii) to analyze the moderating role of users’ age. An investigation was done with 431 netizens who expressed their opinions in a questionnaire after viewing an online cause-related video about dog adoption sponsored by a pet food brand. Our results show that previous attitudes towards viral adds will improve cause-brand alliance attitudes (H1) and brand attitudes (H3). Also, cause-brand alliance attitudes will improve brand attitudes (H2). The intention to share cause-related viral videos will increase when positive attitudes exist for the add (H5), the brand (H5) and the alliance (H6). Finally, age differences affect the strength of the relationships in 3 of the cases.