Poss Jane E, Bader Julia O
School of Nursing, University of Texas, El Paso, TX 79902, USA.
J Appl Anim Welf Sci. 2007;10(3):243-53. doi: 10.1080/10888700701353717.
The researchers surveyed 206 residents of a Hispanic community on the Texas-Mexico border about their behaviors and attitudes toward companion animals. Selected members of the community administered a telephone survey to a systematic random sample of 206 individuals. The majority of participants believed that free-roaming dogs were a problem in their community, and nearly 81% responded that these dogs sometimes prevented them from walking outdoors. About 24% of dog guardians sometimes let their nonhuman animals roam free in the streets. Most study participants believed it was a good idea to sterilize both male and female dogs and cats, but only 11% of respondents' dogs and 27% of cats were sterilized. About 62% of households chained dogs outdoors; persons with an elementary-level education were 7 times more likely to chain their dogs than those who had completed some high school. The Hispanic population of the United States is growing rapidly; to guide officials charged with protecting animal welfare and the public health, it will become increasingly important to understand Hispanics' attitudes and behaviors toward companion animals.
研究人员对德克萨斯州与墨西哥边境的一个西班牙裔社区的206名居民进行了调查，了解他们对伴侣动物的行为和态度。该社区的选定成员对206名个体的系统随机样本进行了电话调查。大多数参与者认为社区中散养的狗是个问题，近81%的人表示这些狗有时会妨碍他们外出散步。约24%的狗主人有时会让他们的非人类动物在街上自由活动。大多数研究参与者认为对雄性和雌性狗及猫进行绝育是个好主意，但只有11%的受访者的狗和27%的猫做了绝育。约62%的家庭将狗拴在户外；接受小学教育的人拴狗的可能性是完成高中学业者的7倍。美国的西班牙裔人口正在迅速增长；为了指导负责保护动物福利和公众健康的官员，了解西班牙裔对伴侣动物的态度和行为将变得越来越重要。
