Companion animal adoption and relinquishment during the COVID-19 pandemic: The experiences of animal rescue staff and volunteers
There has been a paucity of research into the experiences of animal rescue staff and volunteers during COVID-19. The aim of this qualitative research was to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on companion animal rescue organisations and their staff and volunteers, and to develop a set of re...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2024-01-01
|
| Series: | Animal Welfare |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0962728624000150/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797279196015230976 |
|---|---|
| author | Grace A Carroll Catherine Reeve Alice Torjussen |
| author_facet | Grace A Carroll Catherine Reeve Alice Torjussen |
| author_sort | Grace A Carroll |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | There has been a paucity of research into the experiences of animal rescue staff and volunteers during COVID-19. The aim of this qualitative research was to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on companion animal rescue organisations and their staff and volunteers, and to develop a set of recommendations on how to reduce the risk to companion animal welfare during a crisis. Descriptive thematic analysis was used to explore the experiences of staff and volunteers from 28 animal rescue organisations, most of which were based in the UK. Other surveyed countries included Germany, the Republic of Ireland, France, Spain, the USA and Australia. We identify three key themes that reflect the challenges faced by pet rescue organisations during the pandemic: (1) impact on animals; (2) impact on identity; and (3) impact on organisational processes. Key recommendations include the promotion of co-operation and modifications within the sector, the need to understand, and change, detrimental pet-owner behaviours, and the need to clarify the identity of animal rescue organisations within the Government. Both positive and negative outcomes were experienced by animal rescue organisations during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings should be considered for future crises and indeed the everyday operating procedures of companion animal rescue organisations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T16:21:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7b808d062c8e42d280295b70d940639b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0962-7286 2054-1538 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T16:21:49Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animal Welfare |
| spelling | doaj.art-7b808d062c8e42d280295b70d940639b2024-03-04T05:28:39ZengCambridge University PressAnimal Welfare0962-72862054-15382024-01-013310.1017/awf.2024.15Companion animal adoption and relinquishment during the COVID-19 pandemic: The experiences of animal rescue staff and volunteersGrace A Carroll0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4201-0154Catherine Reeve1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9522-903XAlice Torjussen2https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7735-1327Animal Behaviour Centre, School of Psychology, Queens University Belfast, UKAnimal Behaviour Centre, School of Psychology, Queens University Belfast, UKSchool of Engineering and Informatics, Brighton, University of Sussex, UKThere has been a paucity of research into the experiences of animal rescue staff and volunteers during COVID-19. The aim of this qualitative research was to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on companion animal rescue organisations and their staff and volunteers, and to develop a set of recommendations on how to reduce the risk to companion animal welfare during a crisis. Descriptive thematic analysis was used to explore the experiences of staff and volunteers from 28 animal rescue organisations, most of which were based in the UK. Other surveyed countries included Germany, the Republic of Ireland, France, Spain, the USA and Australia. We identify three key themes that reflect the challenges faced by pet rescue organisations during the pandemic: (1) impact on animals; (2) impact on identity; and (3) impact on organisational processes. Key recommendations include the promotion of co-operation and modifications within the sector, the need to understand, and change, detrimental pet-owner behaviours, and the need to clarify the identity of animal rescue organisations within the Government. Both positive and negative outcomes were experienced by animal rescue organisations during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings should be considered for future crises and indeed the everyday operating procedures of companion animal rescue organisations.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0962728624000150/type/journal_articleadoptionanimal shelteranimal welfareCOVID-19qualitativerelinquishment |
| spellingShingle | Grace A Carroll Catherine Reeve Alice Torjussen Companion animal adoption and relinquishment during the COVID-19 pandemic: The experiences of animal rescue staff and volunteers Animal Welfare adoption animal shelter animal welfare COVID-19 qualitative relinquishment |
| title | Companion animal adoption and relinquishment during the COVID-19 pandemic: The experiences of animal rescue staff and volunteers |
| title_full | Companion animal adoption and relinquishment during the COVID-19 pandemic: The experiences of animal rescue staff and volunteers |
| title_fullStr | Companion animal adoption and relinquishment during the COVID-19 pandemic: The experiences of animal rescue staff and volunteers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Companion animal adoption and relinquishment during the COVID-19 pandemic: The experiences of animal rescue staff and volunteers |
| title_short | Companion animal adoption and relinquishment during the COVID-19 pandemic: The experiences of animal rescue staff and volunteers |
| title_sort | companion animal adoption and relinquishment during the covid 19 pandemic the experiences of animal rescue staff and volunteers |
| topic | adoption animal shelter animal welfare COVID-19 qualitative relinquishment |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0962728624000150/type/journal_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT graceacarroll companionanimaladoptionandrelinquishmentduringthecovid19pandemictheexperiencesofanimalrescuestaffandvolunteers AT catherinereeve companionanimaladoptionandrelinquishmentduringthecovid19pandemictheexperiencesofanimalrescuestaffandvolunteers AT alicetorjussen companionanimaladoptionandrelinquishmentduringthecovid19pandemictheexperiencesofanimalrescuestaffandvolunteers |