收容所進狗數與認養率之相關性研究

Abstract

過去四十年來，家狗和家貓的生命的最大威脅不是來自傳染病，而是來自因被棄養或被捕捉進入收容所後的安樂死。在美國，每年有數千萬隻寵物在被主人棄養後被安樂死。Yen等（2014）發現，收容所過量（shelter overpopulation）主要是由於有主的寵物絕育率低所造成。此外，收容所過量同時也導致高安樂死率。 為了瞭解造成收容所過量的原因，本研究採用皮爾森相關性檢定（Pearson correlation test）及t檢定等統計分析宜蘭縣動物收容所的資料，分析進狗數、安樂死數、與認養數三者在統計上之相關性。研究結果顯示，收容所進狗數與認養數呈現弱相關性，但與安樂死數呈現顯著相關。本研究結果指出：1.提高認養率無法有效解決收容所過量的問題；2.降低收容所進入量是減少安樂死數量的有效途徑。

During the last 40 years the greatest threat to the life of domesticated dogs and cats does not come from infectious diseases, but rather from the threat of euthanasia after being abandoned or surrendered to animal shelters. Tens of millions of pets were euthanized each year after being abandoned by their owners at US. Yen et al（2014） found that shelter overpopulation is mainly caused by low sterilization of owned pets. Besides, shelter overpopulation also causes high rate of euthanasia. This study is to analyze the correlation between shelter overpopulation and the number of adoption , as well as the correlation between the shelter overpopulation and the number of euthanasia , using Pearson correlation test、t-test and the animal shelter data of Yilan County. Results indicate that the number of shelter canine intake has weak correlation with adoption rate , but has strong correlation with euthanasia rate, which indicate that：1. the shelter overpopulation cannot be solved by adoption；2. lowering shelter intake is the sole way to reduce high shelter euthanasia.