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Dog ownership is popular worldwide, with most human-dog dyads forming successful attachment bonds. However, millions of dogs are surrendered to animal shelters annually, possibly due to mismatches between owner expectations and the realities of dog ownership. The aim of the current study was to explore the benefits and challenges people expect from dog ownership and how these expectations vary with previous ownership history. An Australian-wide sample of 3465 prospective adopters completed a self-administered online questionnaire about the physical, mental and psychosocial health benefits and challenges they associated with dog ownership. Among the potential benefits, respondents expected increased walking (89%), happiness (89%) and companionship (61%) and decreased stress (74%) and loneliness (61%). Among the challenges, they expected increased responsibility (64%) and dog training (62%). Ownership history influenced respondents' expectations, with previous/current dog owners having consistently greater odds of expecting benefits and reduced odds of expecting challenges than non-owners. A possible explanation is that previous/current dog owners' exhibit bias when considering dog ownership by selectively recalling positive experiences from previous ownership. Our findings support the need for education of prospective dog owners to ensure their expectations align with the reality of ownership, based on current scientific evidence., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of cat and dog semi-ownership in Thailand and factors that predict sterilisation. Semi-ownership was defined as interacting/caring for a companion animal that the respondent does not own, such as a stray cat or dog. A randomised telephone survey recruited 494 Thai nationals residing in Thailand. The findings revealed that 14% of respondents (n = 71) engaged in dog semi-ownership and only 17% of these dogs had been sterilised. Similarly, 11% of respondents (n = 55) engaged in cat semi-ownership and only 7% were known to be sterilised. Using Hierarchical Multiple Regression, the findings showed that 62% and 75% of the variance in intentions to sterilise semi-owned dogs and cats, respectively, was predicted by religious beliefs, and psychosocial factors such as attitudes, perceived pressure from others, and perceived behavioural control. Community awareness campaigns that approach the issue of sterilisation in a way that is consistent with cultural and religious traditions using Thai role models, such as veterinarians, may go some way in reducing stray animal population growth.

Veterinary students at two British universities in their first preclinical, first clinical and final years of study, completed questionnaires designed to assess their attitudes towards the welfare of animals. These attitudes were divided into their two constituent components: emotional (emotional empathy with animals) and cognitive (belief in the sentience of animals). Analyses of variance revealed that the year of study was significantly related to the perceived sentience of dogs, cats and cows, with students in their later years of study rating them as having lower levels of sentience. The female students rated themselves as having significantly higher levels of emotional empathy with animals than did the male students. There was also a significant interaction between sex and year of study, the female students maintaining relatively high levels of empathy throughout the three years, whereas the male students showed lower levels of empathy in their later years.

Forty-nine dogs showing signs of separation-related problems were randomly assigned to one of three groups: group A (15 dogs) received a placebo twice daily; group B (17 dogs) received clomipramine at 0.5 to 1.0 mg/kg twice daily; and group C (17 dogs) received clomipramine at 1.0 to 2.0 mg/kg twice daily. All the dogs also received behavioural therapy. Their owners were required to complete questionnaires about their dog's behaviour initially, and one, four and eight weeks after the treatment with clomipramine began. Bipolar ratings scales were used to monitor the frequencies of 'general', 'attachment-related' and 'separation-related' behaviours. Kruskal-Wallis tests and Kendall Rank correlations were used to determine any initial differences between the treatment groups, and the association between the initial scores and behavioural changes after one week of treatment with clomipramine. Extended Mantel-Haenszel statistics were used to evaluate the effects of clomipramine treatment versus the placebo, and Page's test was used to assess the effectiveness of behavioural therapy on its own. There were no significant differences in the demographic characteristics of the owners of the dogs assigned to the three groups. The dogs differed slightly in age between groups, and the dogs in the two clomipramine-treated groups were reported as showing problems at a significantly earlier age than those in the placebo group. Clomipramine treatment had a sustained suppressive effect on the dogs' general activity levels, and a more modest suppressive effect on their attachment-related tendency to want much physical contact with their owners. The typical signs of separation-related behaviour problems were not significantly affected by treatment with clomipramine, but behavioural therapy on its own was highly effective in reducing behavioural problems.

The effects of quarantine on 16 cats and their owners were assessed by means of four questionnaires completed by the owners at the beginning of their cat's stay in quarantine, three months later, and two weeks and three months after the cats left quarantine. Changes in body condition were evident in two-thirds of the cats during and at the end of quarantine but not three months later. Mid-way through quarantine, the owners considered their cats were less attached to them, less relaxed, more excitable, more aggressive, more nervous and less playful than before quarantine. When they left quarantine the cats were friendlier, more affectionate and more timid, and three months later they were more affectionate, more nervous and more vocal than before quarantine. When they left quarantine and three months later the cats spent more time with their owners than before quarantine. Most owners visited their cats once or twice a month; the location of the cattery and the limited opening hours restricted the number of visits they made.

The welfare of seven domestic cats housed singly in a quarantine cattery was studied for six months. Behavioural data were obtained with cameras and by time-lapse video recording, and cortisol to creatinine ratios were measured in urine samples collected from litter trays. It took five weeks for the cats to show evidence of adaptation to their new environment. They spent most of the first two weeks concealed in a house on the floor of their cage. As they adapted, they spent less time hiding and more time higher in the cage. The cats were inactive for approximately 90 per cent of the time observed, and they received little human contact. Compared with the first day, the cats' cortisol to creatinine ratios were significantly lower from their second month in quarantine.

The aim of the study was to determine whether there is an association between the personality of the owners of English cocker spaniels and the expression of aggressive behaviour by their dogs. Two-hundred-and-eighty-five owners of purebred English cocker spaniels completed the Catell 16 Personality Questionnaire. One-hundred-and-twenty-eight of them owned 153 dogs previously classified as being 'low' in terms of aggressiveness and 157 owned 172 dogs classified as being 'high' in terms of aggressiveness. Both groups of owners were similar in terms of a variety of demographic variables, including the number of adults and children in the household, the type of house and the sex of the owner. The dogs in both groups were similar in age, age when acquired and sex ratio. Analyses of the data using unpaired t-tests revealed that the owners of high aggression dogs were significantly more likely to be tense (P < 0.001), emotionally less stable (P < 0.01), shy (P < 0.01) and undisciplined (P < 0.05) than owners of low aggression dogs.