Previti Annalisa, Biondi Vito, Pugliese Michela, Alibrandi Angela, Zirilli Agata, Roccaro Mariana, Peli Angelo, Passantino Annamaria
Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy.
Unit of Statistical and Mathematical Sciences, Department of Economics, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy.
Vet Sci. 2024 May 17;11(5):224. doi: 10.3390/vetsci11050224.
This study aimed to investigate changes in the number of, and reasons for, requests for dogs' euthanasia over the last thirty years. Data (breed, age, gender, neuter status, manner, and cause of death) from dogs' euthanasia registered between 1990 and 2020 in a small animals' veterinary hospital were analyzed. The overall period examined has been split into two terms (T1 = 1990-2004 and T2 = 2005-2020) considering the introduction and enforcement of Law 189/2004. During the whole period examined, a significant increasing trend in euthanasia cases has been recorded ( = 0.027). Comparing the two terms, we observed significant differences regarding variables such as age, breed, reproductive status, and ownership. The number of euthanized dogs was significantly higher in T1 than in T2. Dogs euthanized in T2 were older than dogs in T1. A high percentage of the euthanized dogs were crossbred and stray dogs. Additionally, the number of neutered/spayed dogs was significantly higher. Regarding the cause of death, a significantly higher percentage of neoplastic processes was detected in T2. The data here reported suggest a potential influence of Law 189/2004. This law in Italy has proven to be a legal milestone that has influenced the decision-making process between euthanasia and natural death.
本研究旨在调查过去三十年中犬类安乐死申请数量的变化及其原因。对一家小动物兽医医院1990年至2020年登记的犬类安乐死数据（品种、年龄、性别、绝育状态、方式和死亡原因）进行了分析。考虑到第189/2004号法律的出台和实施，所考察的整个时期被分为两个阶段（T1 = 1990 - 2004年和T2 = 2005 - 2020年）。在整个考察期间，安乐死病例呈显著上升趋势（ = 0.027）。比较这两个阶段，我们观察到在年龄、品种、生殖状态和所有权等变量方面存在显著差异。T1阶段安乐死的犬只数量显著高于T2阶段。T2阶段安乐死的犬类比T1阶段的犬只年龄更大。安乐死的犬中有很大比例是杂种犬和流浪犬。此外，绝育犬的数量显著更高。关于死亡原因，在T2阶段检测到肿瘤相关过程的比例显著更高。此处报告的数据表明第189/2004号法律可能产生了影响。意大利的这项法律已被证明是一个法律里程碑，影响了安乐死和自然死亡之间的决策过程。
