shaping the behaviour of sheltered dogs and influencing whether or not an animal will become purchased. q 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Behaviour; Captivity; Dogs; Rescue shelters; Welfare; Environment; Enrichment
1. Introduction
Rescue shelters provide temporary housing for thousands of stray and abandoned dogs every year. One of the main goals of most rescue shelters is to ensure that the dogs
in their care find new homes. Many factors may influence whether or not a sheltered dog becomes purchased by a new owner, although of particular importance are the animal’s
Ž .
behaviour and, to a slightly lesser degree, its cage environment Wells, 1996 . Unfortu- nately, these are frequently considered undesirable by potential buyers, and many
Ž .
sheltered dogs are overlooked for purchase as a consequence Wells, 1996 . The
following study examined the behaviour of sheltered dogs in response to three types of environmental change to determine whether they influenced dog behaviour in ways that
could be perceived as desirable to potential dog buyers. The effect of manipulating the dogs’ cage environment on the incidence of dogs subsequently purchased from the
shelter was also examined.
Recent years have witnessed an increasing concern for the welfare of dogs housed in rescue shelters and other captive conditions, e.g. laboratories. Much of this work has
focused on ways of promoting the welfare of dogs whilst they are held in captivity by Ž
improving their housing conditions see Hubrecht 1995a, Hubrecht and Turner, 1998, for .
Ž reviews . Studies have explored the effects of cage size e.g., Hite et al., 1977; Hughes
. Ž
et al., 1989; Hetts et al., 1992; Hubrecht et al., 1992 , social contacts e.g., Hetts et al., 1992; Hubrecht, 1993; Hubrecht et al., 1992; Mertens and Unshelm, 1996; Wells and
. Ž
Hepper, 1998 , and the introduction of cage furniture andror toys Hetts et al., 1992; .
Hubrecht, 1993, 1995b; Wells, 1996; Wells and Hepper, 1992 on the behaviour and welfare of captive dogs. These studies indicate that dogs should ideally be housed in
cages that allow for the fulfillment of the animal’s needs and promote both physical and psychological well-being.
Although there is obvious value to promoting the welfare of sheltered dogs whilst they are held captive, the most effective way to improve the long-term welfare of a
sheltered dog is to ensure that the animal is adopted. Research indicates that a sheltered dog’s behaviour determines whether or not the animal will be regarded as desirable by
Ž .
potential buyers Wells, 1996 . Findings suggest that visitors to rescue shelters prefer Ž
dogs which are at the front rather than the back of the pen Wells, 1996; Wells and .
Hepper, 1992 , dogs which are alert, i.e. moving, standing, sitting, to those which are Ž
. non-alert, i.e. resting, sleeping Wells, 1996 , and dogs which are quiet as opposed to
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barking Wells, 1996; Wells and Hepper 1992 . Unfortunately, sheltered dogs do not always exhibit publicly ‘‘acceptable’’ manners, and their chances of purchase are
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consequently at risk Wells, 1996 . The cage environment of sheltered dogs may also influence whether or not an animal
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is regarded as desirable, albeit indirectly. Wells 1996 discovered that potential buyers
prefer dogs which are housed in what they perceive to be complex and stimulating environments. Thus, dogs which are housed in cages which have their beds visible to the
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public are much preferred to those dogs which are held in empty cages Wells, 1996 . The mere presence of a toy in the dog’s pen may also promote more positive perceptions
Ž of dog desirability, even if the animal is not actually viewed playing with the toy Wells
. and Hepper, 1992 .
By designing cages which encourage dogs to behave in publicly ‘‘acceptable’’ manners and which help to make dogs look more attractive to prospective owners, it
may be possible to improve potential buyers’ perceptions of dog desirability and increase the number of animals which are purchased from rescue shelters. The following
Ž . study examined the behaviour of sheltered dogs in response to: 1 increased human
Ž . Ž .
Ž contact social stimulation study ; 2 the addition of a bed to the front of the pen bed
. Ž .
Ž .
study or; 3 the addition of a toy to the front of the animal’s cage toy study , to determine whether any of these environmental changes influenced dog behaviour in
ways that could be perceived as desirable to potential dog buyers, andror improved a dog’s chances of becoming purchased.
2. Method
