Rand Jacquie, Fisher Gina, Lamb Kate, Hayward Andrea
School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Australian Pet Welfare Foundation, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Front Vet Sci. 2019 Feb 18;5:290. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00290. eCollection 2018.
A survey of Brisbane residents was undertaken to investigate community attitudes toward urban stray cats and their management. Surveys were distributed to 84 medical and dental practices across Brisbane City, and were completed by 305 patients and staff. Practices were targeted to achieve a sample of respondents from a representative distribution of socioeconomic backgrounds. After being informed about trap, neuter, and return (TNR) programs for management of urban stray cats, most respondents (79%), chose TNR as their preferred management strategy, while a lesser proportion (18%) expressed a preference to continue the current Brisbane City Council lethal control program (catching and culling ~1,000 cats annually), and 3.4% selected to leave the cats alone. Differences in beliefs and attitudes toward urban stray cats as a function of demographic variables were investigated. Statistical analyses indicated that respondents who were male, older, non-cat owners, those who believed euthanasia of stray cats was humane, and that urban stray cats spread disease to humans were significantly more likely to express a preference for lethal control, as opposed to non-lethal population management. Based on these findings, we recommend that information is disseminated to mitigate these concerns or negative beliefs, where warranted. Ultimately, findings from this study demonstrate that current Queensland legislation does not reflect public views and opinions on stray cat management and should be reviewed. Formal research evaluating the efficacy of TNR programs for urban stray cats in Australia would be in the public interest.
对布里斯班居民进行了一项调查，以探究社区对城市流浪猫及其管理的态度。调查问卷分发给布里斯班市的84家医疗和牙科诊所，由305名患者和工作人员填写。选择这些诊所是为了从具有社会经济背景代表性分布的人群中获取受访者样本。在了解了用于管理城市流浪猫的诱捕、绝育和放归（TNR）计划后，大多数受访者（79%）选择TNR作为他们首选的管理策略，而较小比例（18%）的人表示倾向于继续布里斯班市议会目前的致死控制计划（每年捕获并扑杀约1000只猫），3.4%的人选择对猫放任不管。研究了作为人口统计学变量函数的对城市流浪猫的信念和态度差异。统计分析表明，男性、年龄较大、非猫主人、那些认为对流浪猫实施安乐死是人道的以及认为城市流浪猫会将疾病传播给人类的受访者，相比非致死性种群管理，更有可能表示倾向于致死控制。基于这些发现，我们建议在必要时传播信息以减轻这些担忧或负面信念。最终，本研究结果表明，昆士兰州现行立法并未反映公众对流浪猫管理的观点和意见，应进行审查。评估澳大利亚城市流浪猫TNR计划效果的正式研究将符合公众利益。
