Integrating dog shelters in the One Health perspective: is this truly achievable?

Abstract

In Italy, kennel management in the One health framework is often difficult to realize, mainly because of a general overcrowding effect for housed dogs, associated to the lower adoption rate, which all have a significant impact upon operating costs. In the present commentary we discussed about the importance of employing integrated and innovative strategies to improve the quality of life of sheltered dogs, thus allowing them to be adopted more easily. In this respect, together with an accurate behavioral rehabilitation program, taking timely actions to prevent the most common diseases affecting animal health in the kennel, is an unmet need. Collectively, based on our previous findings, we suggest that a good handling of companion dogs in the kennels might be challenging to ensure animal welfare and improve human-dog relationship.