The perception of the shelter in the collective imagination

Introduction - The research examines the average knowledge about "dog shelters problem" in order to advance tools to be spread and to awaken the public opinion. Materials and methods - An anonymous questionnaire composed by 48 questions (closed and multiple-choice) was administered to a representative sample of the community. Items regarded the perception of dogs' quality of life in shelters. Results - Data reveal that adoption of shelter's dog is performed only by the 13.39% of the sample, even if it is considered possible by the 69.05% who never did it. It results particularly important to stimulate the adoption of adult and old animals, favorite choice only for the 3.00% of respondents. The 73.30% considers free veterinary services as a good benefit for adoption, more effective than food and even money donation. However many people are not able to express an opinion about many of the proposed questions, as about quality of life of sheltered dogs. Finally it results a spare knowledge about veterinary urban health. Discussion - An included intervention, that spreads more information about the real situation of dog shelters and that converts sheltered dogs in a resource through an educational program, could change the shelter in a transitional accommodation where the dog stays just the time necessary for being adopted.