The shop, the dog, or the owner? Investigating the pathway of dog relinquishment in Taiwan
Dog relinquishment has been a persistent issue in Taiwan. The commercialisation of companion animals, inadequate regulation of pet shops and unethical breeding, and the cultural opposition to euthanasia have contributed to rising stray populations and overwhelmed shelters. However, current measures...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Animal Welfare |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0962728625100183/type/journal_article |
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| author | Wan-Jhu Huang Gordon C. Li |
| author_facet | Wan-Jhu Huang Gordon C. Li |
| author_sort | Wan-Jhu Huang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Dog relinquishment has been a persistent issue in Taiwan. The commercialisation of companion animals, inadequate regulation of pet shops and unethical breeding, and the cultural opposition to euthanasia have contributed to rising stray populations and overwhelmed shelters. However, current measures in Taiwan have focused predominantly on post-relinquishment management, with insufficient attention paid to the sources of relinquished dogs. This study examines the pathway of dog relinquishment by tracing acquisition motivation, choice of purchase channel, ownership experience, and potential relinquishment. Using an online survey of 444 Taiwanese dog owners, this study explores the interplay between these factors. While several factors relate to relinquishment, owners’ knowledge and motivations are the strongest predictors of successful ownership, as better-prepared owners tend to choose more appropriate acquisition channels, apply more effective training methods, and report fewer problem behaviours. Strengthening pre-acquisition education and tightening channel regulations may be key to reducing dog relinquishment and improving animal welfare in Taiwan. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-66a5de749ddc47fca7e2ef60fc6d7e1c |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 0962-7286 2054-1538 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animal Welfare |
| spelling | doaj-art-66a5de749ddc47fca7e2ef60fc6d7e1c2025-07-03T07:29:55ZengCambridge University PressAnimal Welfare0962-72862054-15382025-01-013410.1017/awf.2025.10018The shop, the dog, or the owner? Investigating the pathway of dog relinquishment in TaiwanWan-Jhu Huang0https://orcid.org/0009-0002-0745-7655Gordon C. Li1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1224-3512https://ror.org/00cn92c09National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwanhttps://ror.org/00cn92c09National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, TaiwanDog relinquishment has been a persistent issue in Taiwan. The commercialisation of companion animals, inadequate regulation of pet shops and unethical breeding, and the cultural opposition to euthanasia have contributed to rising stray populations and overwhelmed shelters. However, current measures in Taiwan have focused predominantly on post-relinquishment management, with insufficient attention paid to the sources of relinquished dogs. This study examines the pathway of dog relinquishment by tracing acquisition motivation, choice of purchase channel, ownership experience, and potential relinquishment. Using an online survey of 444 Taiwanese dog owners, this study explores the interplay between these factors. While several factors relate to relinquishment, owners’ knowledge and motivations are the strongest predictors of successful ownership, as better-prepared owners tend to choose more appropriate acquisition channels, apply more effective training methods, and report fewer problem behaviours. Strengthening pre-acquisition education and tightening channel regulations may be key to reducing dog relinquishment and improving animal welfare in Taiwan.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0962728625100183/type/journal_articleAbandoned animalsanimal welfareconsumersdog ownerskennelspet storespurchase channels |
| spellingShingle | Wan-Jhu Huang Gordon C. Li The shop, the dog, or the owner? Investigating the pathway of dog relinquishment in Taiwan Animal Welfare Abandoned animals animal welfare consumers dog owners kennels pet stores purchase channels |
| title | The shop, the dog, or the owner? Investigating the pathway of dog relinquishment in Taiwan |
| title_full | The shop, the dog, or the owner? Investigating the pathway of dog relinquishment in Taiwan |
| title_fullStr | The shop, the dog, or the owner? Investigating the pathway of dog relinquishment in Taiwan |
| title_full_unstemmed | The shop, the dog, or the owner? Investigating the pathway of dog relinquishment in Taiwan |
| title_short | The shop, the dog, or the owner? Investigating the pathway of dog relinquishment in Taiwan |
| title_sort | shop the dog or the owner investigating the pathway of dog relinquishment in taiwan |
| topic | Abandoned animals animal welfare consumers dog owners kennels pet stores purchase channels |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0962728625100183/type/journal_article |
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