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Number of cats and dogs in UK welfare organisations
Abstract and Figures
It is not known how many cats and dogs are admitted to welfare organisations annually. This study produced the first estimates of the size of this population. A questionnaire was mailed out to welfare organisations during 2010, followed by a postal/email reminder and requests to non-responders for a telephone interview. The questionnaire covered areas including, the current number of cats and dogs being housed, how much of the year organisations were operating at full capacity as well as the number of cats and dogs admitted, rehomed and euthanased between January and December 2009. Responses were obtained from 54.8 per cent of organisations. Sixty-six per cent of cat welfare organisations and 48 per cent of dog welfare organisations reported that they operated at full capacity for 12 months of the year. The number of cats and dogs entering UK welfare organisations during 2009 was estimated as 131,070 and 129,743, respectively. This highlights the scale of the work performed by welfare organisations in caring for and rehoming unwanted cats and dogs annually and emphasises the urgent need to address concerns over the considerable number of these animals. This study has also produced useful baseline data, which will be essential for monitoring population changes over time.
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... Every year thousands of dogs are relinquished by their owners to rescue centres or animal welfare organisations (from here on referred to as rescue centres) throughout the United Kingdom (UK). An estimated 129,473 dogs entered UK rescue centres in 2009 and 48% of surveyed rescue centres were running at full capacity for the year [1]. These figures are over 10 years old, so this should be considered, but to the authors knowledge no more recent estimations exist. ...
... The most common problem behaviours cited for relinquishment were forms of aggressive or destructive behaviour [15][16][17]. Behavioural problems accounted for 65.6% of the dogs euthanised in UK rehoming centres in 2009 [1]. Relinquishment to a rescue kennel environment can in itself cause or exacerbate behaviour problems due to the stressors the dog is exposed to [18,19]. ...
Behaviour problems are a leading reason for dogs being relinquished to rescue centres across the world every year. The aim of this study was to investigate whether free behavioural advice would be accepted at the point of an owner requesting to relinquish their dog for behavioural reasons. The call records of 1131 relinquishment requests were reviewed and analysed to establish if the offer of free behaviour advice was accepted. The results showed that advice was accepted in 24.4% of relinquishment requests and behavioural problem was a significant predictor of whether advice was accepted (p < 0.001). The odds of advice being accepted were 5.755 times (95% CI: 2.835–11.681; p < 0.001) greater for a relinquishment request due to problems with general management behaviours compared to aggression between dogs in the home, representing 4.2% and 20.2% of overall relinquishment requests. These data suggest that owners are prepared to accept behaviour advice at the point of relinquishment request, so advice interventions could have potential to impact the levels of dog relinquishment to rescue centres. The impact of an intervention offering behaviour advice may be limited by overall levels of advice acceptance by owners and therefore complimentary proactive solutions to reduce behavioural relinquishments should also be considered.
... Dogs are the most commonly kept companion animal in the UK, with an estimated 34% of households owning one or more dogs [3]. Whilst attempts to estimate the UK dog population (including the unowned population) exist [3][4][5][6] they are not without limitations such as sampling biases, sample size, geographical representation and generalisability. The current population estimate following the Introduction 2. ...
With dogs being the most commonly owned companion animal in the United Kingdom, knowledge about dog demographics is important in understanding the impact of dogs on society. Furthermore, understanding the demography of dog owners is also important to better target support to dogs and their owners to achieve optimal welfare in the canine population. Combining natural fluctuations in the population and unprecedented events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for an up-to-date large-scale dataset is even more paramount. In order to address this, Dogs Trust launched the ‘National Dog Survey’ to provide a large population-level dataset that will help identify key areas of concern and needs of owners and their dogs. The online survey was completed by a total of 354,046 respondents owning dogs in the UK, providing data for 440,423 dogs. The results of this study highlight dog demographics, including acquisition and veterinary factors, as well as owner demographic and household information. Finally, general trends in ownership, and more specifically those following the COVID-19 pandemic, are described. This paper’s findings provide valuable insight into the current population of dogs and their owners in the UK, allowing for the most appropriate products, services, interventions and regulations to be developed, reducing the likelihood of negative welfare outcomes such as health and behaviour issues, relinquishment or euthanasia. Furthermore, with significant changes to the dog population following the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted, this dataset serves as an up-to-date baseline for future study comparisons to continue to monitor trends and patterns of the dog population and dog owners going forwards.
... Approximately 44,000 dogs are taken to shelters or euthanised annually in the UK owing to behavioral problems that their owners were unable to change or cope with (Diesel et al., 2010;Clark et al., 2012;O'.Neill et al., 2013). This situation represents a significant welfare issue for dogs and their caregivers (Overall, 2013). ...
Thousands of dogs are relinquished each year in the United Kingdom (UK) owing to behavioral problems. Hence, there is a clear role for behavior modification therapy in the mitigation of this canine welfare risk. Since statutory regulation and a universal register of canine professionals (CPs) does not yet exist in the UK, it remains unclear who is offering such therapy, which behaviors are being treated, what types of approaches various CPs may be taking and the success (or otherwise) CPs are having. This study aimed to provide some insight into these issues from the perspective of pet dog owners (clients).
An online survey of 235 participants showed that the primary reason for seeking behavior help from a CP was related to aggression, although often more than 1 issue was reported. Regardless of the behavior problem, no significant differences were found for the type of CP consulted (dog trainer vs. behaviorist). Furthermore, in the client's opinion, there were no significant differences between CP types in their ability to improve their dog's unwanted behavior. Interestingly, behaviorists were significantly more likely than dog trainers to use “reward-based” methods over “balanced training” (balanced being a mix of reward and punishment; x²= 8.226, df = 1, P = 0.004).
In conclusion, in the current UK vacuum of statutory regulation, clients are just as likely to employ a trainer as a behaviorist, regardless of their dog's unwanted behavior. However, both CP types were equally able to facilitate behavior improvement, as reported by the client, regardless of the type of training methods (reward-based versus balanced) adopted. This study raises further questions to be explored including the client's opinion of the extent to which the ends (behavior outcomes) justify the means (e.g., punitive training methods which are likely to be aversive for the dog). Also, the general public's understanding of the potential welfare implications of the type of behavior modification plan they may or may not choose to follow.
... (Rowan, 1992;Patronek et al., 1995;Clancy & Rowan, 2003;Turner et al., 2012;Fatjó et al., 2015;Chua et al., 2017), pois incluem apenas animais que entram em abrigos governamentais e não governamentais. Nos Estados Unidos existem 3.500 abrigos para animais e 3,3 milhões de cães e 3,2 milhões de gatos são admitidos nos abrigos a cada ano (HSUS, 2020); na Espanha 162.000 cães e 124.000 gatos foram abandonados a partir de uma análise de 428 sociedades de proteção, câmaras e conselhos municipais (Fatjó, 2021); no Reino Unido, foram estimados 131.070 cães e 129.743 gatos entregues em organizações de bem-estar animal no ano de 2009 (Clark et al., 2012), na Austrália, 211.655 cães foram admitidos em organizações de bem-estar animal em 2012 e 2013, equivalente a uma estimativa de 9,3 admissões de cães por 1.000 ...
O desconhecimento do número de instituições atuando em prol do resgate e adoção de cães e gatos no Brasil, além da falta de dados das políticas internas e externas instituídas dificulta a implementação de procedimentos para garantir a saúde e bem-estar de animais abandonados e em situação de abrigo. Objetivou-se nessa pesquisa avaliar o perfil dos abrigos brasileiros em relação as suas políticas internas e externas com o intuito de compreender a realidade dessa temática no Brasil. Os dados dos abrigos foram coletados por meio de um formulário online aplicado em um curso de extensão de educação à distância. O número de dados considerado nesse estudo totalizou 352 abrigos. A maioria dos abrigos era de natureza particular (67,9%; 239/352) e houve representação das cinco regiões do Brasil e de 22 estados. Foi possível compreender o perfil dos abrigos brasileiros em relação as suas políticas externas e internas relacionadas à identificação e recepção dos animais, estrutura física, manejos preventivos, doenças e saída dos animais. A partir dos dados apresentados foi possível observar a falta de políticas públicas voltadas para a prevenção do abandono e do manejo populacional, além da falta de aplicabilidade de protocolos e manejos relacionados à Medicina de Abrigos. Os resultados de nosso estudo fornecem um ponto de partida para o Brasil comparar suas políticas e desempenho do manejo com outros países, além de reavaliar as estratégias existentes para melhorar a eficiência das práticas realizadas com os animais abandonados e que estejam em instituições de acolhimento e adoção.
... The domestic dog (Canis familiaris) is among the most common species of pet animal in many countries, including the UK where there are an estimated 12.5 million dogs (1) and 26% of adults are understood to own one (2). 1 Although many owners report feeling highly satisfied with their relationship with their dog (4), it is estimated that between 90,000 and 130,000 dogs are relinquished to UK animal welfare organizations annually (5,6). Previous evidence suggests that one risk factor for relinquishment is owners' expectations of the roles pets will play (7). ...
With an estimated 12. 5 million dogs in the UK alone, many people acquire a dog at some point during their lives. However, there are gaps in understanding about why UK owners decide to get dogs. Using a mixed-methods convergent design, this study identified the reasoning behind dog acquisition in a sample of UK current and prospective owners. An online survey of current ( n = 8,050) and potential ( n = 2,884) dog owners collected quantitative and qualitative data. Current owners were asked about the acquisition of their most recently acquired dog, whilst potential owners were asked about their dog ownership aspirations. Additional qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with current ( n = 166) and potential ( n = 10) dog owners. Interviews focused on the factors that affected why and how people acquire dogs. Of survey responses, companionship for the respondent was the most common reason for wanting to get a dog, reported by 79.4 and 87.8% of current and potential owners, respectively. Facilitating exercise was reported as a reason for wanting to get a dog by 48.2 and 69.7% of current and potential owners, respectively. There were significant differences between current and potential owners in their likelihood of reporting pre-defined reasons, factors and influences involved in their decision to get a dog. Compared to current owners, potential owners were significantly more likely to report being motivated by most of the survey response options offered (including companionship for themselves or other adults in the household, helping a dog in need, lifestyle changes and previous experiences of meeting dogs), suggesting that current ownership status may affect experience and/or reporting expectations around dog ownership. Reflexive thematic analysis of qualitative data confirmed the importance of these motivations and identified additional reasons and factors that drive dog acquisition. These were organized into three overarching themes: Self-Related Motivation, Social-Based Motivation , and Dog-Related Positive Affect-Based Motivation . These findings provide insights into owners' expectations of ownership which may inform the development of interventions to support potential owners' decision-making around acquisition to maximize both dog and human welfare.
... Introduction Globally, the number of unowned cats is a cause for concern [1][2][3][4]. In the UK, shelters are often at capacity [5,6] with many cats on rescue centre waiting lists [6], and stray and feral cats commonly found in large numbers across localised areas [7]. A key effort to address this is the prevention of accidental litters in the owned cat population. ...
In the UK, it is currently recommended that owned cats be neutered from four months of age. However, its uptake is inconsistent across the veterinary profession. Here we assess the effect of a brief video intervention that aimed to encourage four month neutering, whilst preserving clinical autonomy. We compare this theory-driven approach with traditional information giving and a control group. Veterinary surgeons who regularly undertook feline neutering work in the UK but did not routinely neuter cats at four months and/or recommend four month neutering for client owned cats were randomised into three groups (n = 234). Participants received either no information, a written summary of evidence or the video. The primary behaviour outcomes were the recommending and carrying out of neutering cats at four months. Evaluative, belief and stages of change measures were also collected. Self-reported outcomes were assessed pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, two months post-intervention and six months post-intervention. At two months, participants that had received the video intervention were significantly more likely to have started recommending neutering cats at four months. At six months, participants that had received the video intervention were significantly more likely to have started carrying out neutering cats at four months. There were no significant behaviour changes for the other groups. At two months, the video intervention was associated with a significant increase in thinking about, and speaking to colleagues about, four-month neutering, relative to the control group. The written summary of evidence had no similar effect on stages of change, despite it being perceived as a significantly more helpful resource relative to the video. To conclude, a brief one-off video intervention resulted in an increase in positive behaviours towards neutering cats at 4 months, likely mediated by the social influences of the intervention prompting the opportunity to reflect and discuss four-month neutering with colleagues.
... In the UK, there are more than 10 million owned cats 1,2 , however they only make up a subgroup of the total population with many domestic cats unowned. Despite an understanding of the scale of the unowned cat population within UK shelters (in excess of 130,000 in shelters each year 3,4 ), there are currently no evidence-based figures for the abundance or density of unowned free-roaming cat populations. These cats may be stray cats (abandoned or lost cats that were previously owned) or unsocialised feral cats, which, when unneutered and given access to appropriate resources, can be extremely prolific breeders. ...
Globally, unowned cats are a common element of urban landscapes, and the focus of diverse fields of study due to welfare, conservation and public health concerns. However, their abundance and distribution are poorly understood at large spatial scales. Here, we use an Integrated Abundance Model to counter biases that are inherent in public records of unowned cat sightings to assess important drivers of their abundance from 162 sites across five urban towns and cities in England. We demonstrate that deprivation indices and human population densities contribute to the number of unowned cats. We provide the first spatially explicit estimates of expected distributions and abundance of unowned cats across a national scale and estimate the total UK urban unowned cat population to be 247,429 (95% credible interval: 157,153 to 365,793). Our results provide a new baseline and approach for studies on unowned cats and links to the importance of human-mediated effects.
... Each year, animal shelters provide a temporary home to many dogs: approximately 20,000 in the Netherlands and 129,000 in the UK (Clark et al., 2012;Heijst et al., 2015). Being placed in a shelter abruptly changes a dog's environment and routine. ...
Shelter dogs face the challenge of adapting to a kennel environment. Individual differences in adaptation are known to exist. Resting patterns might be indicative of adaptability to such a novel environment, but need to be evaluated for its usefulness, like every potentially physiological and behavioural parameter. Here, we evaluated nocturnal activity patterns of dogs as indicators of adaptability to novel environments. We measured nocturnal activity (3-axial accelerometer, the Actical®) and two physiological stress parameters, i.e. urinary cortisol/creatinine ratio (UCCR) and body weight in 29 dogs relinquished to a shelter (SD group) in the first two days after intake at the shelter (n = 29), after a 12-day habituation period in the shelter (n = 28) and >6 weeks post-adoption (n = 17). A control group of 29 pet dogs kept at home (CPD group), matching the SD group characteristics, was also assessed for its nocturnal activity and UCCR. Linear mixed model analysis, t-tests and Friedman tests were used to analyse the data.
The main findings are: 1) the SD group exhibited higher nocturnal activity (total activity counts, activity duration and number of rest bouts) the first two nights after intake than on night 12, with decreasing inter-individual variances. Compared to the CPD group they showed higher nocturnal activity on night 1 (all p < 0.001) and night 12 (all p ≤ 0.001) except for total activity counts on night 12. We found no ‘first-night effect’, where sleep is disturbed during the first night; nocturnal activity in the shelter did not significantly differ between nights 1 and 2 in the shelter. 2) In line with literature findings, SD group UCCRs were higher shortly after intake than after a 12-day habituation period and after adoption, and higher than in the CPD group. 3) An interaction was found between weight class and both nocturnal activity and UCCR levels: in their first days in the shelter, smaller dogs showing higher levels than larger dogs. 4) Dogs in the SD group lost, on average, 5% of their body weight between intake and the two-week habituation period.
In conclusion, nocturnal activity, as measured by an accelerometer, may be a valid parameter to monitor adaptability of dogs to a kennel environment. Monitoring nocturnal activity in this way can be a useful and cost-effective additional indicator for assessing dog welfare.
... Data used here are taken from the first 12 months of operations (September 2016-August 2017).3.4.1 | Study speciesDomestic cats are an intrinsic component of human society in the UK, with over 10 million owned cats(Murray et al., 2015). Many owned cats have accidental litters(Welsh et al., 2014) and a large number of cats become abandoned, relinquished, or lost each year(Clark et al., 2012;Stavisky, 2014;Stavisky et al., 2012); thus, unowned cats are also ubiquitous across many urban ecosystems. ...
Free‐roaming animal populations are hard to count, and professional experts are a limited resource. There is vast untapped potential in the data collected by nonprofessional scientists who volunteer their time to population monitoring, but citizen science (CS) raises concerns around data quality and biases. A particular concern in abundance modeling is the presence of false positives that can occur due to misidentification of nontarget species. Here, we introduce Integrated Abundance Models (IAMs) that integrate citizen and expert data to allow robust inference of population abundance meanwhile accounting for biases caused by misidentification. We used simulation experiments to confirm that IAMs successfully remove the inflation of abundance estimates caused by false‐positive detections and can provide accurate estimates of both bias and abundance. We illustrate the approach with a case study on unowned domestic cats, which are commonly confused with owned, and infer their abundance by analyzing a combination of CS data and expert data. Our case study finds that relying on CS data alone, either through simple summation or via traditional modeling approaches, can vastly inflate abundance estimates. IAMs provide an adaptable framework, increasing the opportunity for further development of the approach, tailoring to specific systems and robust use of CS data. Integrated Abundance Models (IAMs) address the key challenge in abundance modelling of false positives that can occur due to misidentification of nontarget species. Integrating data sources of differing quality improves precision of abundance estimates by accounting for misidentification biases. The framework described is adaptable, and we hope it provides a useful introduction to the concept to allow further optimization of the approach and tailoring to specific systems
The factors influencing why and how people decide to acquire a dog are not well understood and little is known about the extent to which prospective owners undertake preparatory research. This study aimed to better understand what factors influence whether prospective dog owners in the UK conduct preparatory research. A 2019 online survey of current (n = 8050) and potential (n = 2884) dog owners collected quantitative and qualitative data. Additional qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with current (n = 166) and potential (n = 10) dog owners. Of the current owners surveyed, 54% stated that they had looked for advice or information prior to acquiring their dog. Of potential owners, 68% reported already having looked for information, while a further 14% were planning to undertake research prior to acquiring a dog. Those with previous dog ownership experience were less likely to undertake pre-acquisition research, as were those who had worked with dogs. Demographic factors were also associated with the likelihood of conducting pre-acquisition research, with younger prospective owners being more likely to have undertaken research, as well as those with formal education qualifications. Among current owners, pre-acquisition research was more likely among those who acquired their dog through a breeder; a specific breed or a mix of two breeds; or as a puppy. Qualitative data were consistent with and added additional understanding and context to these findings. Almost half of current owners did not conduct pre-acquisition research, highlighting the need for increased awareness of its importance and the development of targeted interventions to encourage this activity. Understanding the different factors that influence whether dog owners undertake research may be of interest to animal welfare and veterinary organisations, in order to inform interventions to better prepare people for dog acquisition.
Despite the popular idea that dog owners are often responsible in some way for their animals' behaviour problems, the scientific evidence is scarce and contradictory. Some studies have failed to detect any links between the quality of the owner-dog relationship and the occurrence of behaviour problems, while others suggest that some behaviour problems may be associated with certain aspects of owner personality, attitudes and/or behaviour.Using retrospective data from a sample of 737 dogs, the present study investigated the association between the prevalence of different behaviour problems and various aspects of either owner behaviour or owner-dog interactions. A number of statistically significant associations were detected: (a) between obedience training and reduced prevalence of competitive aggression (P < 0.02), separation-related problems (P < 0.001), and escaping and roaming (P < 0.05); (b) between the timing of the dogs' meal times and the occurrence of territorial-type aggression (P < 0.01); (c) between sleeping close to the owner and increased prevalence of competitive aggression (P < 0.01) and separation-related problems (P < 0.01); (d) between first-time ownership and the prevalence of dominance-type aggression (P < 0.001), separation-related problems (P < 0.05), fear of loud noises (P < 0.001), and various manifestations of overexcitability (P < 0.001); (e) between owners' initial reasons for acquiring a dog and the prevalence of dominance-type (P < 0.001), competitive (P < 0.01) and territorial aggression (P < 0.01). The possible practical implications of these findings are discussed.
The methods by which owners train their pet dogs range widely, with some exclusively using rewards, and others using a combination, or only punishment-based methods. This paper examines links between the way in which owners reported to have trained their dogs and observations of the dogs’ subsequent behaviour. It also explores associations between behaviour of owner and dog when tested in their own home. A total of 53 owners were surveyed about their preferred methods for training each of seven common tasks, and were each filmed interacting with their dog in a series of standardised scenarios. Dogs owned by subjects who reported using a higher proportion of punishment were less likely to interact with a stranger, and those dogs whose owners favoured physical punishment tended to be less playful. However, dogs whose owners reported using more rewards tended to perform better in a novel training task. Ability at this novel task was also higher in dogs belonging to owners who were seen to be more playful and who employed a patient approach to training. This study shows clear links between a dog's current behaviour and its owner's reported training history as well as the owner's present behaviour. High levels of punishment may thus have adverse effects upon a dog's behaviour whilst reward based training may improve a dog's subsequent ability to learn.
In a questionnaire survey of dog owners, 88% of respondents’ dogs had received some form of training. Training methods varied; 16% of owners said that they used only positive reinforcement, 12% used a combination of positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement, 32% used a combination of positive reinforcement and positive punishment, and the remaining 40% used a combination of all categories. Seventy-two percent of owners used some form of positive punishment. The mean number of potentially undesirable behaviors reported was 11.3 per dog. Attendance at formal training classes did not significantly affect the total number of potentially undesirable behaviors reported. However, dogs that had attended puppy socialization classes were less likely to show an undesirable reaction to dogs from outside the household, and owners who carried out informal training at home, but did not attend any form of formal training class, were more likely to report some form of aggression in their dog. The training method used by owners was also related to the total number of potentially undesirable behaviors shown by the dogs. When individual categories of potentially undesirable behavior were investigated, the type of training method used was also significantly associated with attention-seeking score, fear (avoidance) score, and aggression score. Other factors related to the overall number of potentially undesirable behaviors included the age and origin of the dog.
Because of very real practical constraints, conditions in animal shelters are often reminiscent of those in early primate deprivation studies. Dogs are frequently surrendered to shelters because of behavior problems, and aspects of the shelter environment may induce anomalous behavior, increasing the chances that adopted dogs will be returned to the shelters. Comparative psychologists, psychobiologists, and other behavioral scientists possess the knowledge and techniques to help shelters intervene in this cycle. Experience suggests human interaction and the application of basic conditioning procedures can reduce the impact of the shelter environment, and ease the transition into the adoptive home. A program developed to meet these goals is described. Shelters can provide opportunities both for the training of students in animal-related exercises and for limited applied research. Behavioral scientists stand in a unique position to help transform conditions in animal shelters to the benefit of all involved.
In a recent article ("Finding a Place for Twitter in Higher Education," May 20, 2010, eLearnMag.org), Hend Suliman Al-Khalifa reported some of the findings in a Faculty Focus 2009 survey, "Twitter in Higher Education: Usage Habits and Trends of Today's College Faculty." In the article, Al-Khalifa summarizes the findings of the more than 2,000 respondents, writing that according to the survey, the majority of higher education thinks Twitter is a gigantic time suck with little to no educational value. While she accurately reported the findings, she missed reporting the bigger picture, namely, that while approximately 30 percent of the surveyed higher education professionals tweet, currently only 10 percent of the general Internet-using public makes regular use of Twitter. The college ranks are outpacing the public in adoption nearly 3 to 1.
Understanding the psychology of the domestic dog is a key element in both research and clinical applications for veterinary behaviorists. This article summarizes social cognitive skills ob-served in dogs in recent cognition studies. The tasks are grouped into the following 2 categories: those which facilitate eye contact between dogs and human beings, and social learning tasks. We also de-scribe easy-to-implement experimental paradigms, previously used in cognitive tests for adult dogs, which we recommend adapting for use with puppies as young as 3 weeks of age. We highlight specific ways by which breeders may alter setup of these tasks to further generalize the social cognitive benefits for the puppies. Furthermore, studies of social development in puppies would enable researchers to ex-plore whether encouragement of the skills examined have a positive effect on behavior as adults, and should thus be specifically incorporated into socialization practices by all breeders and new owners. Thus, the practical applications of this knowledge could include informing best practices for early age socialization by breeders, while puppies are still in the litter, and by new owners when they initially acquire a puppy. This could potentially increase the number of dogs that are well adjusted for human society and thus reduce the number surrendered to shelters. Finally, we discuss the ethical implications of working with puppies in particular and with companion animals generally; the positioning of vet-erinary clinicians and researchers between the scientific and lay worlds can improve understanding within the community of the benefits that minimally invasive companion animal research can provide.
Significant numbers of cats enter rescue and re-homing facilities each year, over half of which are relinquished directly by owners. Identifying the reasons why owners decide to give up their pet is an important step in the development of education strategies to encourage retention of cats by their owners. In addition, identifying why adopting owners fail to retain their new cats is important in the refinement of homing policies. Characteristics of 6,089 cats relinquished and returned to 11 rescue facilities in the UK were recorded over a year. In addition, information was collected on the reason why owners gave up, or brought back, their pet. Sixty percent of cats and kittens entering shelters were relinquished by owners, with 19% being due to owner circumstances, such as moving to rented accommodation or changes in family circumstances. Seven percent were for behavioral reasons, and 5% because of the occurrence of allergy or asthma in owners. Returned cats were significantly more likely to be older (Mann Whitney U, Z = -9.167, p < 0.001) and neutered (Pearson χ2 = 110.0, df = 2, p < 0.001) than the general relinquished population. The reasons for original relinquishment and return of owned cats were also significantly different (Pearson χ2 = 84.4, df = 6, p < 0.001), with 38% of cats being returned for behavioral reasons, and 18% because of allergy or asthma. The commonest behavioral reason for both relinquishment and return was aggression between cats in the household.
Industrial demographic data on the canine and feline populations of the United Kingdom in 1986 are presented as population pyramids. Comparisons are made between the canine pyramid and an earlier one, and between breed-specific proportions derived from three sources: a clinical database, a survey of veterinary practices, and Kennel Club registrations.