Gunter Lisa, Protopopova Alexandra, Hooker Steven P, Der Ananian Cheryl, Wynne Clive D L
a Department of Psychology , Arizona State University.
b Department of Animal and Food Sciences , Texas Tech University.
J Appl Anim Welf Sci. 2017 Oct-Dec;20(4):357-371. doi: 10.1080/10888705.2017.1341318. Epub 2017 Jul 11.
This study involved examining the ability of a postadoption intervention to reduce returns of newly adopted dogs to shelters by encouraging physical activity between adopters and their dogs. Guardians in the intervention group received emails with dog behavior and human activity advice as well as invitations to join weekly dog walks. Both the intervention and control groups completed surveys regarding outdoor activity with their dogs, their dog-walking habits, and perceptions of their dogs' behaviors. Adopter-dog pairs in the intervention group were not significantly more active than those in the control group, nor did they show a reduced incidence of returning their dogs. Guardians in both groups who reported higher obligation and self-efficacy in their dog walking were more active regardless of experimental condition; however, obligation, dog-walking self-efficacy, and perceptions about their dogs' on-leash behaviors did not predict rates of return to the shelter. These findings add to the understanding of shelter dog re-relinquishment and the effective utilization of resources postadoption, and they indicate further research is needed to address the complexities of this newly forming human-dog relationship.
本研究旨在考察领养后干预措施通过鼓励领养者与狗狗之间的身体活动来减少新领养狗狗被送回收容所的能力。干预组的监护人会收到有关狗狗行为和人类活动建议的电子邮件，以及参加每周狗狗散步活动的邀请。干预组和对照组都完成了关于与狗狗户外活动、遛狗习惯以及对狗狗行为看法的调查。干预组的领养者与狗狗配对的活动量并不比对照组显著更高，送回狗狗的发生率也没有降低。无论实验条件如何，两组中报告在遛狗时有更高责任感和自我效能感的监护人都更活跃；然而，责任感、遛狗自我效能感以及对狗狗 leash 行为的看法并不能预测狗狗被送回收容所的比率。这些发现有助于增进对收容所狗狗再次被遗弃以及领养后资源有效利用的理解，并表明需要进一步研究来解决这种新形成的人狗关系的复杂性。
