Canine demographics of Dublin City Council’s Dog Shelters : an aftermath of breed specific legislation?
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2025
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Os cães têm contribuído para a humanidade há milhares de anos, desempenhando diversas funções, como caça, guarda e companhia. Apesar dos muitos benefícios da tutoria de cães, a agressão canina continua a ser uma desvantagem da relação proxima entre cães e humanos, colocando uma carga significativa nos sistemas de saúde em todo o mundo. Na tentativa de reduzir o problema das mordidas de cães, alguns governos implementam a legislação específica para raças de cães (BSL, na sigla em inglês) para impor restrições ou proibições a raças de cães consideradas de risco para a segurança pública. Na Irlanda, dez raças são restritas, e os tutores devem cumprir requisitos específicos ao manusear esses cães em público. Este estudo utilizou uma base de dados contendo informações sobre cães admitidos nos abrigos de cães do Conselho Municipal de Dublin ao longo de um período de um ano (Janeiro 2024 a Fevereiro 2025) . A análise centrou-se na caracterização demográfica da população dos abrigos, com ênfase na raça e no impacto da legislação específica de raças de cães na Irlanda. Foram comparados resultados como o tempo de permanência, taxa de saída com vida e eutanásia entre diferentes raças, utilizando métodos estatísticos descritivos e analíticos. Os resultados revelaram que cães de raças restritas apresentaram uma probabilidade 6.38 vezes maior de serem eutanasiados em comparação com cães de raças não restritas. Especificamente, cães do tipo Pit bull apresentaram uma probabilidade 5.26 vezes maior de serem eutanasiados em relação às demais raças. Além disso, as raças restritas permaneceram significativamente mais tempo nos abrigos, com uma média de 44.5 dias, em comparação com 24.7 dias para raças não restritas. Essa diferença foi ainda mais acentuada no caso dos cães do tipo Pit bull, que tiveram uma permanência média de 46.7 dias, contra 27.2 dias das outras raças. Esses resultados sugerem que a legislação específica por raça pode impactar negativamente o bem-estar e o destino dos cães no sistema de abrigos do Conselho municipal de Dublin, especialmente para as raças sujeitas a restrições.
Dogs have contributed to humanity for thousands of years, serving various roles such as hunting, guarding, and companionship. Despite the many benefits of dog ownership, dog aggression remains a drawback of the close relationship between dogs and humans, placing a significant toll on healthcare systems worldwide. In an attempt to curb the issue of dog bites, some governments implement Breed-specific legislation (BSL) to impose restrictions or bans on breeds considered risky for public safety. In Ireland, ten breeds are restricted, and owners must comply with specific requirements when having these dogs in public. This study utilized a database containing information on dogs admitted to Dublin City Council’s dog shelters over a one-year period (January 2024 to February 2025). The analysis focused on the demographics of the shelter population, with emphasis on dog breed and the impact of breed-specific legislation in Ireland. Outcomes such as length of stay, live release rates, and euthanasia were compared across breeds, using both descriptive and analytical statistical methods. The findings revealed that restricted breeds were 6.38 times more likely to be euthanised than non-restricted breeds. Specifically, Pit bull-type dogs were 5.26 times more likely to be euthanised compared to all other breeds. Additionally, restricted breeds had a significantly longer length of stay, averaging 44.5 days, compared to 24.7 days for non-restricted breeds. This difference was even more pronounced for Pit bull-type dogs, who had an average stay of 46.7 days, compared to 27.2 days for other breeds. These results suggest that BSL may negatively affect the welfare and outcomes of dogs within the shelter system in Dublin City Council, notably for breeds subject to restrictions.
Dogs have contributed to humanity for thousands of years, serving various roles such as hunting, guarding, and companionship. Despite the many benefits of dog ownership, dog aggression remains a drawback of the close relationship between dogs and humans, placing a significant toll on healthcare systems worldwide. In an attempt to curb the issue of dog bites, some governments implement Breed-specific legislation (BSL) to impose restrictions or bans on breeds considered risky for public safety. In Ireland, ten breeds are restricted, and owners must comply with specific requirements when having these dogs in public. This study utilized a database containing information on dogs admitted to Dublin City Council’s dog shelters over a one-year period (January 2024 to February 2025). The analysis focused on the demographics of the shelter population, with emphasis on dog breed and the impact of breed-specific legislation in Ireland. Outcomes such as length of stay, live release rates, and euthanasia were compared across breeds, using both descriptive and analytical statistical methods. The findings revealed that restricted breeds were 6.38 times more likely to be euthanised than non-restricted breeds. Specifically, Pit bull-type dogs were 5.26 times more likely to be euthanised compared to all other breeds. Additionally, restricted breeds had a significantly longer length of stay, averaging 44.5 days, compared to 24.7 days for non-restricted breeds. This difference was even more pronounced for Pit bull-type dogs, who had an average stay of 46.7 days, compared to 27.2 days for other breeds. These results suggest that BSL may negatively affect the welfare and outcomes of dogs within the shelter system in Dublin City Council, notably for breeds subject to restrictions.
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VETERINARY MEDICINE, DOGS, IRELAND, ANIMAL BREEDS, ANIMAL EUTHANASIA, ANIMAL WELFARE, PUBLIC HEALTH, ANIMAL RIGHTS, PUBLIC SECURITY, ACCIDENTS PREVENTION, MESTRADO INTEGRADO EM MEDICINA VETERINÁRIA, VETERINÁRIA, MEDICINA VETERINÁRIA, CÃES, IRLANDA, RAÇAS DE ANIMAIS, EUTANÁSIA ANIMAL, BEM-ESTAR ANIMAL, SAÚDE PÚBLICA, DIREITOS DOS ANIMAIS, SEGURANÇA PÚBLICA, PREVENÇÃO DE ACIDENTES