Module 5: The Case of the Snotty Cats
The Dog House
If you were a dog, where would you prefer to spend your days in the shelter while waiting for a new home?
Like cats, they need space to walk around, stretch out, express normal behavior and a place to go to the bathroom that is separate from where they rest and eat. They deserve a comfortable bed and daily mental enrichment. They enjoy exercise and fresh air.
Many shelters house dogs in a single compartment run. This does not provide separate areas for walking around, resting, eating, and defecation/urination. The best housing for dogs in shelters is the double compartment run with a central guillotine door. This provides a compartment for eating and resting that is completely separate from a compartment for defecation and urination.
Here are pictures of different types of dog housing in shelters.
As you view them, think about the impact on health and welfare based on the ASV Guidelines for primary enclosures, the Five Freedoms, the Five Domains, Fear Free principles, and the AVMA Animal Welfare Principles. Click on the hotspots to learn more details about the housing.
