Adoption associated factors influencing adoption time of sheltered dogs in Ecuador. An observational longitudinal study

Abstract

Introduction. Dog abandonment has implications for animal welfare and is a public health concern. In response to the problem of abandonment, stray dogs are fostered in dog shelters while waiting for adoption. Unfortunately, the lack of public policies to minimize dog abandonment and overpopulation have both led to increasingly long-term sheltering for stary dogs. Objective. The objective of the present study was to identify factors that moderate the adoption processes of stray dogs in shelters from the Amazon and Sierra Regions of Ecuador. Methodology. To do that, the data was collected from four DS and the relationship between adoption time as outcome variable and sex, age, coat color and breed as explanatory variables was studied using Kaplan-Meier models. Results. Sample (n= 207) was composed mostly by adults (n= 62; 52.10%), females (n= 115; 56.00%), mixed breed (n= 185, 89.00%) and yellow coat dogs (n = 59, 29.00%). Average adoption time was 188 days (SD= 18.60). The main factor associated with time of adoption was age. Puppies and juveniles were adopted in shorter periods of time in comparison to adults. Factors such as sex, breed or coat color were not statistically significantly associated with adoption time. Conclusion. Findings from the present study suggest that adoption processes might potentially benefit from fostering adoption campaigns targeting specific dog populations to promote among family’s adoption of disadvantaged dogs.