National Dog Survey: Describing UK Dog and Ownership Demographics.

Animals (Basel). March 2023;13(6):.

Katharine L Anderson¹, Rachel A Casey², Ben Cooper³, Melissa M Upjohn⁴, Robert M Christley⁵

¹ Dogs Trust, 17 Wakley Street, London EC1V 7RQ, UK.; ² Dogs Trust, 17 Wakley Street, London EC1V 7RQ, UK.; ³ Dogs Trust, 17 Wakley Street, London EC1V 7RQ, UK.; ⁴ Dogs Trust, 17 Wakley Street, London EC1V 7RQ, UK.; ⁵ Dogs Trust, 17 Wakley Street, London EC1V 7RQ, UK.

Abstract

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.

Keywords

United Kingdom; demographics; dog; ownership;

Article Tools:

Medline

Email to me

Archives Highlights:

Immunosuppressant Therapy in Small Animal Medicine: What, When, and Why
Immunosuppressant drugs are categorized into steroid medications (e.g., prednisone, prednisolone, dexamethasone, budesonide), calcineurin inhibitors (e.g., cyclosporine), antiproliferative medications (e.g., azathioprine, mycophenolate, leflunomide), and mechanistic target of rapamycin inhibitors (not currently used routinely in veterinary medicine). This article focuses on the first 3 categories.

Acute onset of circling and dull mentation in a 1-year-old male neutered domestic shorthair cat.
CNS cuterebriasis represents a neurologic disease more common in cats than dogs, resulting in presentation during summer months with acute onset and often asymmetric, focal or multifocal, intracranial signs preceded by upper respiratory disease.

Key Takeaways for Veterinarians from the NAVTA Demographics Survey
Low salary is still viewed as the most challenging aspect of the job, with 39% of respondents ranking this both the top challenge currently and the top projected issue for the next 5 years. One in 3 credentialed veterinary technicians maintains a second job, often full time, suggesting that they need additional income to support themselves and/or their families.

Treatment and outcome following substantial ketamine overdose in a dog.
This case report documents an iatrogenic 338 times intravenous ketamine overdose in a dog, which was successfully managed with supportive care. In addition, it highlights the importance of doctor-technician communication and the potential errors in using electronic treatment sheets.

National Dog Survey: Describing UK Dog and Ownership Demographics.
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. 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.