A Survey Study of Veterinary Student Opinions and Knowledge about Pet Reptiles and Their Welfare
Exotic pet medicine is rapidly evolving, with reptiles becoming increasingly popular pet animals. Yet, there are only a few literature reports on veterinary perception of reptiles kept as pets. The aim of the study was to assess opinions and knowledge of the Croatian veterinarians-to-be about pet re...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-11-01
|
| Series: | Animals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/11/3185 |
| _version_ | 1827677628463579136 |
|---|---|
| author | Mario Ostović Ivana Sabolek Aneta Piplica Ivona Žura Žaja Sven Menčik Srebrenka Nejedli Željka Mesić |
| author_facet | Mario Ostović Ivana Sabolek Aneta Piplica Ivona Žura Žaja Sven Menčik Srebrenka Nejedli Željka Mesić |
| author_sort | Mario Ostović |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Exotic pet medicine is rapidly evolving, with reptiles becoming increasingly popular pet animals. Yet, there are only a few literature reports on veterinary perception of reptiles kept as pets. The aim of the study was to assess opinions and knowledge of the Croatian veterinarians-to-be about pet reptiles and their welfare. The questionnaire survey was conducted in the academic year 2019–2020 and included students of all six years of the integrated undergraduate and graduate study at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb. First-year students were surveyed twice, before and after having attended the compulsory course on animal welfare. Questionnaire statements were 5-point Likert scale questions, requiring the students to express their opinions about turtles, lizards and snakes as pets, issues related to their welfare, risks they pose to the health and safety of humans, other animals and the environment, and their self-reported knowledge about pet reptiles. Although expressing higher opinions after having attended the course on animal welfare, first-year student responses remained neutral to most of the statements. Such a trend continued until the end of the study. Student responses revealed that they were uncertain about their knowledge of reptiles as pets, considering different educational areas observed. Study results emphasised the need of alterations in veterinary curriculum and additional student education in reptile medicine. The results obtained have broad implications involving not only the welfare of pet reptiles in clinical practice and elsewhere but also the health and safety of humans and other animals, as well as environmental protection. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:46:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e6f65c0dd8a74f2c8b05ca623e0cd08d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:46:37Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-e6f65c0dd8a74f2c8b05ca623e0cd08d2023-11-22T22:06:43ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152021-11-011111318510.3390/ani11113185A Survey Study of Veterinary Student Opinions and Knowledge about Pet Reptiles and Their WelfareMario Ostović0Ivana Sabolek1Aneta Piplica2Ivona Žura Žaja3Sven Menčik4Srebrenka Nejedli5Željka Mesić6Department of Animal Hygiene, Behaviour and Welfare, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10000 Zagreb, CroatiaDepartment of Animal Hygiene, Behaviour and Welfare, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10000 Zagreb, CroatiaDepartment of Animal Breeding and Livestock Production, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10000 Zagreb, CroatiaDepartment of Physiology and Radiobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10000 Zagreb, CroatiaDepartment of Animal Breeding and Livestock Production, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10000 Zagreb, CroatiaDepartment of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10000 Zagreb, CroatiaDepartment of Marketing in Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska Cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, CroatiaExotic pet medicine is rapidly evolving, with reptiles becoming increasingly popular pet animals. Yet, there are only a few literature reports on veterinary perception of reptiles kept as pets. The aim of the study was to assess opinions and knowledge of the Croatian veterinarians-to-be about pet reptiles and their welfare. The questionnaire survey was conducted in the academic year 2019–2020 and included students of all six years of the integrated undergraduate and graduate study at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb. First-year students were surveyed twice, before and after having attended the compulsory course on animal welfare. Questionnaire statements were 5-point Likert scale questions, requiring the students to express their opinions about turtles, lizards and snakes as pets, issues related to their welfare, risks they pose to the health and safety of humans, other animals and the environment, and their self-reported knowledge about pet reptiles. Although expressing higher opinions after having attended the course on animal welfare, first-year student responses remained neutral to most of the statements. Such a trend continued until the end of the study. Student responses revealed that they were uncertain about their knowledge of reptiles as pets, considering different educational areas observed. Study results emphasised the need of alterations in veterinary curriculum and additional student education in reptile medicine. The results obtained have broad implications involving not only the welfare of pet reptiles in clinical practice and elsewhere but also the health and safety of humans and other animals, as well as environmental protection.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/11/3185veterinary studentssurveyexotic petsreptilesanimal welfare |
| spellingShingle | Mario Ostović Ivana Sabolek Aneta Piplica Ivona Žura Žaja Sven Menčik Srebrenka Nejedli Željka Mesić A Survey Study of Veterinary Student Opinions and Knowledge about Pet Reptiles and Their Welfare Animals veterinary students survey exotic pets reptiles animal welfare |
| title | A Survey Study of Veterinary Student Opinions and Knowledge about Pet Reptiles and Their Welfare |
| title_full | A Survey Study of Veterinary Student Opinions and Knowledge about Pet Reptiles and Their Welfare |
| title_fullStr | A Survey Study of Veterinary Student Opinions and Knowledge about Pet Reptiles and Their Welfare |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Survey Study of Veterinary Student Opinions and Knowledge about Pet Reptiles and Their Welfare |
| title_short | A Survey Study of Veterinary Student Opinions and Knowledge about Pet Reptiles and Their Welfare |
| title_sort | survey study of veterinary student opinions and knowledge about pet reptiles and their welfare |
| topic | veterinary students survey exotic pets reptiles animal welfare |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/11/3185 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT marioostovic asurveystudyofveterinarystudentopinionsandknowledgeaboutpetreptilesandtheirwelfare AT ivanasabolek asurveystudyofveterinarystudentopinionsandknowledgeaboutpetreptilesandtheirwelfare AT anetapiplica asurveystudyofveterinarystudentopinionsandknowledgeaboutpetreptilesandtheirwelfare AT ivonazurazaja asurveystudyofveterinarystudentopinionsandknowledgeaboutpetreptilesandtheirwelfare AT svenmencik asurveystudyofveterinarystudentopinionsandknowledgeaboutpetreptilesandtheirwelfare AT srebrenkanejedli asurveystudyofveterinarystudentopinionsandknowledgeaboutpetreptilesandtheirwelfare AT zeljkamesic asurveystudyofveterinarystudentopinionsandknowledgeaboutpetreptilesandtheirwelfare AT marioostovic surveystudyofveterinarystudentopinionsandknowledgeaboutpetreptilesandtheirwelfare AT ivanasabolek surveystudyofveterinarystudentopinionsandknowledgeaboutpetreptilesandtheirwelfare AT anetapiplica surveystudyofveterinarystudentopinionsandknowledgeaboutpetreptilesandtheirwelfare AT ivonazurazaja surveystudyofveterinarystudentopinionsandknowledgeaboutpetreptilesandtheirwelfare AT svenmencik surveystudyofveterinarystudentopinionsandknowledgeaboutpetreptilesandtheirwelfare AT srebrenkanejedli surveystudyofveterinarystudentopinionsandknowledgeaboutpetreptilesandtheirwelfare AT zeljkamesic surveystudyofveterinarystudentopinionsandknowledgeaboutpetreptilesandtheirwelfare |