Page 6 - Clinical Connections - Autumn 2023

RVC RESEARCH STUDY VETERINARY SERVICES RVC.AC.UK
Canine welfare
RVC’S PANDEMIC PUPPIES TEAM: SHINING A
LIGHT ON CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES IN

CANINE WELFARE

Dr Rowena Packer, Lecturer in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare Science, reflects on the
contributions of RVC research to understanding the dynamic world of dog welfare during the COVID-19
pandemic and beyond

ollowing the first COVID-19 the pandemic was not only characterised socialisation experiences, such as attending
‘lockdown’, the media reported by a higher number of purchases, but that puppy classes and experiencing visitors in
F a surge in people acquiring the way in which households purchased their homes.
or seeking to acquire puppies. puppies – and why they purchased puppies Seeking to understand the impact of
This dramatic change, mirrored – had markedly changed. This included these early-life deficits on future outcomes
internationally, was coined the worrying shifts in buyer behaviour that (including behaviour, health and the dog-
‘Pandemic Puppy’ phenomenon. threatened the welfare of both the puppy owner relationship), the RVC has been
Although many media reports framed purchased and its parents, by increasing the following a cohort of >1000 puppies, now
this as a positive effect, with households likelihood of purchasing from unscrupulous approaching their third birthdays, to explore
seeking out dogs for companionship and illegal puppy breeders and dealers. the impacts of being acquired and raised in
and to encourage them to get outdoors Key findings included puppies being less this unusual period.
and improve their mental health, a team likely to be viewed prior to purchase, being RVC’s innovative work has sought to
of RVC researchers were immediately collected away from their breeder’s property, proactively identify emerging dog welfare
concerned by what this surge in demand being less likely to be seen with their mother concerns post-pandemic. When exploring
could mean for welfare. and siblings, and buyers paying dramatically whether the effects seen on puppy buying
Detailed in the timeline below, the RVC inflated prices for puppies. in 2020 had persisted into 2021, or returned
has been pivotal in understanding this Groundbreaking RVC research further to pre-pandemic levels, a highly concerning
modern phenomenon in dog ownership and discovered that the early lives of this trend was identified, with year-on-year
its long-term implications. vulnerable population were impaired, likely increases in puppies being sold with
RVC’s pioneering research found that in part due to social distancing restrictions, passports. These puppies with passports
the increase in puppy acquisition during with puppies less likely to experience key were commonly under the legal minimum

RVC publish the first Funding from Research Funding from Dogs
evidence of pandemic- England to explore the Funding from Kennel Club Trust to characterise
related changes to longer-term effects of Charitable Trust to explore RVC publish the first commercial/private
puppy-buying, identifying the pandemic upon differences in health, evidence of the impact Funding from Research Presentations at re-homing and re-selling
concerning changes that Funding from UFAW puppy-purchasing behaviour and husbandry of being acquired and England to explore public UK events including systems for dogs aged
threaten dog welfare. to characterise designer behaviour, studying of ‘designer’ crossbreeds raised during the understanding of and International Society for >16 weeks in the UK and
Press coverage included crossbreed acquisition UK puppy acquisitions versus their purebred pandemic upon early-life attitudes towards puppy Anthrozoology Annual their implications for
The Guardian in the UK during 2021 parent breeds experiences and health importation to the UK Conference canine welfare.

2020
£ £ £ £ £

£ 2021 £ 2022 £ 2023 £

Funding from Animal Funding from Battersea Presentations at UK Funding from Society Presentations at RVC publish evidence Funding from Battersea RVC publish the first
Welfare Foundation to longitudinally study events including London for Companion Animal international institutes regarding how and to explore the impact of evidence that the
to explore motivations a cohort of puppies Vet Show, ESRC Festival Studies to explore including University of why designer crossbreed the Cost-of-Living Crisis pandemic continued
and behaviours of UK purchased during the of Social Science, the impact of puppy Guelph and Atlantic puppies are acquired on canine welfare in the to impact puppy-buying
owners acquiring puppies pandemic to explore and the All-Party acquisition during the Veterinary College, in the UK, shedding Pandemic Puppies in 2021, including a
during the COVID-19 effects on their Parliamentary Dog pandemic upon the Canada, and UK events light on this growing cohort year-on-year increase
pandemic behaviour, welfare and Advisory Welfare Group mental wellbeing of including Association of phenomenon in the sale of puppies
relinquishment-risk families with children Dogs and Cats Homes with passports. Press
Conference and UFAW coverage including
Annual International BBC articles
Conference

6 Autumn 2023