Rehoming centres are important facilities for dog population management providing a place for dogs that need to be removed from the streets as well as those relinquished by owners and for many dogs, offer the opportunity of a good home. Being housed in a rehoming centre is likely to ensure shelter from the elements, reliable access to food and water and veterinary treatment thus providing for a dog’s environmental, dietary and health needs. However, providing for their behavioural and social needs can be much more challenging, difficult to achieve and can result in negative affects compromising welfare and a poor quality of life. For example a barren invariant environment without companionship can lead to boredom, withdrawal, depression and loneliness.
In this presentation, the five domains model, which explores the interaction between different conditions and their affects, will be used to explore the welfare state and quality of life of dogs in two very different rehoming settings. One at a rehoming centre managed by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in England and the other at the Lilongwe Society for the Protection and Care of Animals in Malawi. The model will be used to explain differences in welfare and quality of life likely experienced by dogs at the different centres as well as conditions which appear to enhance welfare and how these can be applied in a rehoming centre.

Key Learnings :

1. The impact of rehoming centres on dog welfare.
2. The application of the five domains model for welfare assessment and monitoring.
3. Ways to improve the welfare of dogs within rehoming centres.