Dogs welfare in Slovenian and Croatian sheltersWeitzer, Maruša (Avtor) Zupan Šemrov, Manja (Mentor) dogsshelterswelfareThe importance of the welfare of dogs housed in shelters has increased due to society's great interest in abandoned, lost or stray dogs. Using the Welfare Quality Protocol for Shelter Dogs (SQP), we studied 16 shelters in Slovenia and Croatia. This study represents the first assessment in this region. We assessed the physical, emotional, and pen-related welfare indicators of 503 individual dogs. We also collected management data on feeding, exercise, available skilled personnel, and veterinary care. The data collected not only provided a basis for future assessments, but also provided insight into the impact that a shelter environment has on a housed animal. It was found that the welfare of shelter dogs in Slovenia and Croatia is generally satisfactory. Good management practices resulted in good health (diarrhea, coughing, wounds and lameness were noted only to minor extent), and most dogs were in good physical condition, and exhibited no undesirable behaviors or abnormalities. Most shelters met the minimum requirements for living conditions, including the absence of sharp edges and unsafe equipment. Emotional profile assessment indicated potential constraints and negative effects on animal welfare, such as inadequate space leading to less playful, happy, and friendly behavior. Another important finding is that dogs fed once a day showed attention-seeking and insecure behavior and barked more often, while dogs fed twice a day were more confident and relaxed.20222022-09-21 07:17:36Magistrsko delo/naloga140880sl