Pet Ownership

The results of this study showed that in elementary aged children, hyperactivity in boys was a unique predictor of cruelty toward animals, while self-reported behavior problems were a predictor of similar behavior in girls.

This publication offers guidelines for addressing domestic animal abuse and child abuse and discusses various efforts to assess and treat children and families. The guidebook serves as a resource for court personnel, child welfare professionals, and animal protection officers, taking the position that because animal abuse is a common indicator of domestic dysfunction, it should be addressed systematically.

A survey of San Diego County households conducted by the National Pet Alliance examines the nature of pet ownership in the region, including dog and cat distribution among the county's households, gender differences, and sources where people obtain their companion animals.

A 1997 survey by the Pecos People for Animal Welfare Society in New Mexico found that most common reason for not having a pet spayed or neutered was that the animal was thought to be too young or too old. The findings suggest there is an ongoing need for public education of the benefits of spay/neuter for both animals and caretakers.

This online resource library from the Humane Society of the United States provides a compilation of statistics-related articles about companion animal population.

Research conducted for the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) shows widespread support in the United Kingdom for making having primates as pets an illegal act.

This survey of people in Northern Ireland regarding pet ownership and attitudes toward various uses of animals found that people who were most likely to have a pet include married people, younger people, those living in detached homes, and those with children in the household. Attitudes toward animal usage depends primarily on the specific use of the animal under consideration.

A research conducted to assess the needs of blind consumers found that 23% of cane users dislike their cane. This group is the most likely group to become future guide dog users. The study also found that some blind consumers resist the notion of having a guide dog due to the responsibility of having a dog and the necessary training period.

The vast majority of feral cat caregivers, in the order of 80%, are women who have a unique voice that needs to be heard in the public policy debate on legal protections for animals. In particular, the public needs to know that their definition of protection is rooted in sterilization, not "humane" killing; and, moreover, that they are dedicated to protecting individual animals, and do so at great personal cost. That women have long been marginalized is a historic fact, and that the legal remedies have been incomplete is a present reality.