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People and Pets: Factors Affecting the Acquisition, Characteristics and Relinquishment...
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People and Pets: Factors Affecting the Acquisition, Characteristics and Relinquishment of Companion Animal Relationships

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Human-Animal Interactions, Animal Behaviour and Emotion".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025 | Viewed by 6465

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Lindsay Murray

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Psychology, University of Chester, Parkgate Road, Chester CH1 4BJ, UK
Interests: animal psychology; personality; human-animal interactions; pets
Dr. Janine Carroll

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
School of Psychology, University of Chester, Parkgate Road, Chester CH1 4BJ, UK
Interests: health psychology; coping; communication; mental health; wellbeing

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Pet ownership is the most common form of human–animal interaction (HAI), and is prevalent worldwide. Pets can improve the mental and physical health of humans, providing comfort, safety, routine, structure and help with social inclusion. In the UK, the RSPCA takes in thousands of pets each year and, of those adopted, up to 20% are returned to shelters, which can be stressful for both the animal and the owner. Reasons to return a pet include the owner’s health and unrealistic expectations of ownership duties. Wider social environments may also influence the adoption and return of pets to animal shelters. For instance, during the Coronavirus pandemic, interest in pet ownership increased during lockdowns and was sustained for some once restrictions were lifted, but not for all types of pets. As our climate continues to change and the cost-of-living crisis escalates, the importance of research into crisis-driven changes in human–animal relationships increases. This Special Issue will give an overview of the most recent research in this area and provide an impetus to move the field on through an implementation of interventions to optimize compatibility and reduce negative outcomes for both people and pets.

Dr. Lindsay Murray
Dr. Janine Carroll
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • human–animal interactions
  • companion animals
  • pets
  • dogs
  • cats
  • characteristics
  • health
  • COVID-19 pandemic
  • cost of living
  • adoption
  • relinquishment
  • relationships

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 283 KiB  
Article
Problem Behaviours and Relinquishment: Challenges Faced by Clinical Animal Behaviourists When Assessing Fear and Frustration
by Beverley M. Wilson, Carl D. Soulsbury and Daniel S. Mills
Animals 2024, 14(18), 2718; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14182718 - 19 Sep 2024
Viewed by 896
Abstract
Fear and frustration are two emotions thought to frequently contribute to problem behaviour, often leading to relinquishment. Inferring these emotions is challenging as they may present with some similar general signs, but they potentially require different treatment approaches to efficiently address the behaviour [...] Read more.
Fear and frustration are two emotions thought to frequently contribute to problem behaviour, often leading to relinquishment. Inferring these emotions is challenging as they may present with some similar general signs, but they potentially require different treatment approaches to efficiently address the behaviour of concern. Although behavioural assessment frameworks have been proposed, it is largely unknown how clinical animal behaviourists (CABs) assimilate information about the emotional state of an animal to inform their behavioural assessment. In other fields (such as both in human and veterinary medicine), the use of intuition and gut feelings, without the concurrent use of an assessment framework, can lead to higher rates of error and misdiagnosis. Therefore, this study used semi-structured interviews of ten CABs and qualitative methods to explore the ways they conceptualise, recognise and differentiate fear and frustration in dogs. Although interviewees perceived fear and frustration as negative affective states that lead to changes in an animal’s behaviour, there was little consensus on the definition or identification or differentiation of these emotions. The use of a scientific approach (i.e., hypothesis-driven and based on falsification of competing hypotheses) for behavioural assessment was highly variable, with individual assessment processes often characterised by tautology, intuition, circular reasoning and confirmation bias. Assessment was typically based on professional judgment, amalgamating information on interpretation of communicative signals, motivation, learning history, breed, genetics and temperament. Given the lack of consensus in the definition of these states, it is clearly important that authors and clinicians define their interpretation of key concepts, such as fear and frustration, when trying to communicate with others. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue People and Pets: Factors Affecting the Acquisition, Characteristics and Relinquishment of Companion Animal Relationships)
28 pages, 1049 KiB  
Article
Why Do People Choose a Particular Dog? A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Factors Owners Consider Important When Acquiring a Dog, on a Convenience Sample of Austrian Pet Dog Owners
by Kata Mária Udvarhelyi-Tóth, Ivaylo B. Iotchev, Eniko Kubinyi and Borbála Turcsán
Animals 2024, 14(18), 2634; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14182634 - 11 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1405
Abstract
Selecting a dog that is incompatible with the owner’s expectations can negatively impact both parties. Previous studies on dog acquisition have primarily focused on shelter environments, using closed-ended questions to assess hypothetical preferences. In contrast, our study employed open-ended questions with a convenience [...] Read more.
Selecting a dog that is incompatible with the owner’s expectations can negatively impact both parties. Previous studies on dog acquisition have primarily focused on shelter environments, using closed-ended questions to assess hypothetical preferences. In contrast, our study employed open-ended questions with a convenience sample of Austrian dog owners (N = 1077) to retrospectively explore why the owners chose their dogs. We also examined consistency in owners’ responses and the influence of owner characteristics (age, education, household composition, previous dog experience, purpose of acquisition) on their reasons. Content analysis revealed 24 codes; the frequency of codes was 2.4/response. The most frequent codes were breed-based choice (29%), choosing on a whim, without careful consideration (24%), work/sport skills (22%), and rescuing a dog (17%). The least frequent were the age (1%), health (1%), sex (1%), and guarding skills (0.6%) of the dog. Twelve codes were consistent over time, and ten were consistent across dogs, indicating that the owners showed a consistent preference for certain traits. Except for the owner’s education level, all characteristics affected the likelihood of mentioning at least one code. Most associations were found with the presence of children in the household: owners with children preferred friendly, easily manageable, and easy-to-train dogs and were less likely to adopt or rescue compared to owners living without children. Our findings also highlight discrepancies between spontaneous (free-text) reports and responses to closed-ended questions, underscoring the importance of qualitative data in better understanding the motivations behind and the factors influencing dog acquisition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue People and Pets: Factors Affecting the Acquisition, Characteristics and Relinquishment of Companion Animal Relationships)
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0 pages, 974 KiB  
Article
Exploring Levels of Interspecies Interaction: Expectations, Knowledge, and Empathy in Human–Dog Relationships
by Anna K. E. Schneider and Juliane Bräuer
Animals 2024, 14(17), 2509; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14172509 - 29 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1049
Abstract
This exploratory study examines the complex dynamics of human–dog relationships and their impact on interspecies communication. Twelve human–dog dyads were studied using narrative interviews to explore how people perceive their relationships with their dogs. In addition, the dyads engaged in a cooperative task [...] Read more.
This exploratory study examines the complex dynamics of human–dog relationships and their impact on interspecies communication. Twelve human–dog dyads were studied using narrative interviews to explore how people perceive their relationships with their dogs. In addition, the dyads engaged in a cooperative task to observe interaction dynamics during everyday activities. This study shows that individual expectations frame interactions and that traditional notions of dog ownership are evolving into more family-like relationships. Effective communication relies on a nuanced mix of verbal and non-verbal cues, with empathy emerging as a fundamental element guiding these interactions. Our findings underline the profound influence of human expectations, knowledge and empathy on communication with dogs. They also highlight the critical role of compatibility between human and dog dyads, and emphasize that such compatibility is a key determinant of satisfaction in interspecies relationships. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how human factors modulate communication and satisfaction in human–animal interactions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue People and Pets: Factors Affecting the Acquisition, Characteristics and Relinquishment of Companion Animal Relationships)
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20 pages, 273 KiB  
Article
UK Dog Owners’ Pre-Acquisition Information- and Advice-Seeking: A Mixed Methods Study
by Rebecca Mead, Katrina E. Holland, Rachel A. Casey, Melissa M. Upjohn and Robert M. Christley
Animals 2024, 14(7), 1033; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14071033 - 28 Mar 2024
Viewed by 2465
Abstract
Dogs are the most common pet animal species in the UK. Little is known about information and advice gathering within the process of dog acquisition, nor what pre-acquisition research encompasses. This study aimed to better understand the preparatory research undertaken by prospective dog [...] Read more.
Dogs are the most common pet animal species in the UK. Little is known about information and advice gathering within the process of dog acquisition, nor what pre-acquisition research encompasses. This study aimed to better understand the preparatory research undertaken by prospective dog owners in the UK. A 2019 online survey collected quantitative and qualitative data about dog acquisition. Analyses within this study focused on a subset of these current (n = 4381) and potential (n = 2350) owners who had undertaken research, or who reported planning to do so, before acquiring a dog. Additional qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with current (n = 24) and potential (n = 8) dog owners. Among those current owners who had sought information or advice, websites were the most common source of information (76%), followed by family and friends (70%), and online forums (51%). Similar patterns were seen among potential owners. Qualitative data revealed that information was commonly sought on the following: general information about dogs; information about breeds or types of dogs; owner requirements and dog suitability; aspects of dog ownership; and how to source a dog. The majority of prospective owners stated that they had found all the information they wanted (96% of current owners and 90% of potential owners) but some respondents found conflicting advice from different sources and did not know which sources to trust. Our study shows that, for some prospective owners, research into various aspects of dog acquisition and ownership is important. Knowing where to look for correct and unbiased advice, particularly online, is particularly important. Understanding the pre-acquisition research that owners undertake, including the sources they use, information they are interested in finding, and the challenges they face, is of interest to animal welfare and veterinary organisations and those involved in rehoming and selling dogs. This information may help inform interventions aimed at improving the knowledge and decisions made by potential dog owners. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue People and Pets: Factors Affecting the Acquisition, Characteristics and Relinquishment of Companion Animal Relationships)
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