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. 2018 Mar 7;8(3):36.
doi: 10.3390/ani8030036.

Factors Informing Outcomes for Older Cats and Dogs in Animal Shelters

Sloane Hawes, Josephine Kerrigan, Kevin Morris

Factors Informing Outcomes for Older Cats and Dogs in Animal Shelters

Sloane Hawes et al. Animals (Basel). .

Abstract

With advances in veterinary medicine that can increase the lifespan of cats and dogs and the effectiveness of spay/neuter programs in reducing the juvenile population of pets, animal shelters are experiencing an increasing population of older companion animals in their care. The purpose of this study was to assess the factors that inform the outcomes of these older cats and dogs. The sample consisted of 124 cats and 122 dogs that were over the age of 84 months (seven years) who were taken into a shelter over a one-year period. To assess the impact of condition at intake on the outcome for the senior animals, a multinomial logistic regression was performed. These findings indicate that preventative programming that can address the reasons these older animals are surrendered, as well as advancements in specialized medical or behavioral programs for ageing companion animals, may support an increase in live outcomes for older cats and dogs in shelters. Further study is needed to evaluate how the quality of life of older animals is impacted by remaining in the care of shelters rather than being euthanized.

Keywords: cat; companion animals; dog; euthanasia; geriatric; length of stay; outcomes; shelter.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funding sponsors had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; and in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The total length of stay of the 124 cats and 122 dogs included in the sample, presented in percentage of all senior cats or senior dogs included in the sample.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The average time spent in foster care versus on-site at Austin Pets Alive! (APA) for each range of total length of stay (time in custody) for the 124 cats in the sample.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The average time spent in foster care versus on-site at APA for each range of total length of stay (time in custody) for the 122 dogs in the sample.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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