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Simple Summary: Free-roaming dogs, also referred to as reservation dogs or rez dogs, hold important and unique roles in Indigenous communities. The purpose of this study is to document the cultural significance of rez dogs, challenges related to rez dogs, and community-specific solutions to rez dog issues affecting community health and safety from the perspective of 14 members of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara (MHA) Nation, also referred to as the Three Affiliated Tribes (TAT), who live on the Fort Berthold reservation in North Dakota, U.S.A. The primary intervention areas described by the participants included: culturally relevant information sharing, improved animal control policies and practices, and improved access to veterinary care and other animal services. The research on the relationships between free-roaming dogs, also referred to as reservation dogs or rez dogs, and Indigenous communities is extremely limited. This study aimed to document the cultural significance of rez dogs, challenges related to rez dogs, and community-specific solutions for rez dog issues affecting community health and safety from members of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara (MHA) Nation, also referred to as the Three Affiliated Tribes (TAT), who live on the Fort Berthold reservation in North Dakota, U.S.A. One hour semi-structured interviews with 14 community members of the MHA Nation were conducted in 2016. The interviews were analyzed via systematic and inductive coding using Gadamer's hermeneutical phenomenology. The primary intervention areas described by the participants included: culturally relevant information sharing, improved animal control policies and practices, and improved access to veterinary care and other animal services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE To investigate trends in animal shelterand rescue organization intake for dogs and cats in Colorado from 2008 to 2018. SAMPLE 482 animal shelters and rescue organizations that reported annual intake data to the State of Colorado Department of Agriculture for 1,086,630 dogs and 702,333 cats. PROCEDURES Total intake, intake for each of 5 Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act categories (stray, owner surrender, intrastate transfer, interstate transfer, or other), and community-based intake (total intake after exclusion of transfers) of dogs and cats were assessed in total and for each organization type (shelter or rescue organization). The numbertaken in per year, number taken in/1,000 capita (human residents)/y, and number in each intake category as a percentage of total intake for the same species per year were analyzed with linear regression models. RESULTS Trend lines indicated thattotal dog intake increased overthe study period, but there was no change when these data were adjusted for the human population. Cat intake decreased over time according to both of these measures. Total community-based intake decreased, whereas total intake by interstate transfer from other organizations increased for both species during the study period. CLINICALRELEVANCE Increased transfer of dogs and cats across state lines into regions with low community-based shelter intake suggested that regional and national animal disease trends could potentially impact disease profiles for recipient areas. Findings supported efforts toward collecting animal shelter and rescue organization intakeand outcomedata across larger systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE To measure temporal trends in animal shelter and rescue intakes and outcomes for dogs and cats in Colorado from 2000 through 2015 and compare trends from 2008 through 2015 with previously reported trends from 2000 through 2007. DESIGN Serial cross-sectional study. SAMPLE 76 animal shelter and rescue facilities with annual intake and outcome data consistently reported to the state of Colorado from 2000 through 2015. PROCEDURES Data were collected for dogs and cats each year during the study period on 5 annual scales: number of animals taken in, number of animals taken in/1,000 state residents, animal outcomes as a percentage of intakes (species-specific scales), and annual live release rate as a function of intakes and outcomes. Aggregate data were analyzed for temporal trends by linear regression modeling. RESULTS Decreases in annual intake and euthanasia rates and a concurrent increase in live release rate were observed for both species. The decreases observed for cats from 2008 through 2015 contrasted with the previously reported findings of increased rates of intake and euthanasia from 2000 through 2007. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE We believe that these temporal trends suggested substantial improvements in intake and outcome data for sheltered cats and dogs across Colorado that reflected changes in unhoused animal populations, along with the impact of resource allocation to spay-neuter programs, adoption marketing, intershelter transfers, and evidence-based improvements in operations. The findings indicated that consistent data collection and interorganizational collaboration can be used to optimize animal shelter capacity and outcomes across a statewide shelter system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study examined the reasons cats and dogs are returned following adoption at one shelter in Austin, TX, USA. The study found that dogs were most likely to be returned for behavioral issues while cats were most likely to be returned for personal reasons. The length of ownership before the pet was returned to the shelter varied substantially. These data can be used in future discussions of how to develop pet retention programs that address the factors informing returned adoptions. Although the adoption rate of dogs and cats from animal shelters has increased, a proportion of animals are returned to the shelter after they are adopted. The purpose of this study was to assess the factors informing the return of 102 dogs to an animal shelter over a four-month period, and the return of 72 cats to an animal shelter over a three-month period. Descriptive statistics revealed dogs are most commonly returned for behavior issues related to aggression (38.2%), and cats are most commonly returned due to the adopter's personal reasons (56.9%). The results also indicated that more than half of the dogs (51.0%) and cats (57.0%) returned in this study were owned for more than 60 days. Further research is needed to compare the effectiveness of different pet retention programs in addressing the factors that inform returned adoptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]