There is minimal careful analysis of gross companion animal demographics and of the trends in animal shelter intake and outcome. The best current estimate of the USA dog and cat population is 135 million from a survey conducted every five years. Several other national surveys...
In 2013, a paper in the journal Nature Communications appeared that estimated that cat predation in the United States led to an estimated death of 1.3 - 4.0 billion birds every year. This large range in the predation estimate was due to the big uncertainties...
It seems fitting during Valentine’s week to address the mystery of how the dog became the dog and ended up as a devoted and beloved companion for billions of people over the span of 20,000 years or so. Several academic papers and one blog by...
Over the past decade, there has been an explosion of interest in the use of assistance dogs to help military veterans cope with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) and other challenges posed by a return to civilian life. Numerous organizations have been founded to provide such...
In 2021, it is hoped that the world will slowly return to normal as an increasing proportion of national populations are vaccinated. Such a return will likely mean fewer people working from home and more pets spending their days with less human companionship. Animal groups...
Underdogs: Pets, People and Poverty (2020) by Arnold Arluke and Andrew Rowan, published by University of Georgia Press, Athens, Georgia, 2020.This book covers the growing movement toward creating affordable veterinary care programs in high-poverty and low-access communities. Its emphasis on the human aspects of such...
There are many organizations, municipalities and individuals around the world dedicating time, resources and much attention and love to the well-being of dogs and ending dog homelessness. Often, these projects do not have sufficient resources to reach the number of dogs to have measurable impact...
In our September 2020 Tales of WellBeing, we wrote about the increased funding for domestic abuse shelters to expand their programs to include the pets of individuals seeking to escape from domestic abuse. Each year Domestic Violence Awareness Month is recognized in October. This October,...
Data on dog numbers and dog well-being will be an important part of evaluating impact of different approaches to dog and human well-being in particular communities. The world currently has somewhere between 800 million and one billion domestic dogs. As such, they are the most...
Pets provide constant companionship, emotional support and security for individuals who are homeless. It is estimated that approximately 10% of the homeless have one or more pets. Thirty or more years ago, it was commonly argued by animal advocates that, if a person cannot take...
