Socioeconomic and Spatial Determinants of Dog Abandonment and Adoption in the Republic of Korea (2021–2023)
This study examined the socioeconomic and veterinary cost factors influencing dog abandonment and adoption outcomes across 162 regions in the Republic of Korea from 2021 to 2023. Unlike prior research, this study distinguished between intentionally abandoned dogs and those lost and subsequently retu...
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/11/1613 |
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| author | HyungChul Rah |
| author_facet | HyungChul Rah |
| author_sort | HyungChul Rah |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study examined the socioeconomic and veterinary cost factors influencing dog abandonment and adoption outcomes across 162 regions in the Republic of Korea from 2021 to 2023. Unlike prior research, this study distinguished between intentionally abandoned dogs and those lost and subsequently returned to their owners, normalizing abandonment data by population. Using publicly available regional data and spatial regression models, we found that the number of people receiving unemployment benefits was consistently and negatively associated with the number of dog abandonments per 100,000 residents, which was normalized by total population to avoid potential errors. Rabies vaccination costs were also negatively associated with abandonment. In contrast, comprehensive income tax amounts—a proxy for regional wealth—were positively correlated with the percentage of dog abandonments reported in 2021 and 2023. Spatial Lag Models accounted for over 50% of the variance in the number of dog abandonments, confirming spatial dependence and highlighting the importance of geographically targeted animal welfare interventions. However, spatial patterns in adoption were less consistent. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating economic and spatial considerations into the design of public policies and shelter strategies to mitigate dog abandonment and enhance adoption outcomes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8f013fe21d2e41a68e4e9a221b99a500 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj-art-8f013fe21d2e41a68e4e9a221b99a5002025-08-20T02:33:01ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-05-011511161310.3390/ani15111613Socioeconomic and Spatial Determinants of Dog Abandonment and Adoption in the Republic of Korea (2021–2023)HyungChul Rah0Department of Companion Animal and Plant Sciences, College of Future Convergence, Jeonju University, Jeonju 55069, Republic of KoreaThis study examined the socioeconomic and veterinary cost factors influencing dog abandonment and adoption outcomes across 162 regions in the Republic of Korea from 2021 to 2023. Unlike prior research, this study distinguished between intentionally abandoned dogs and those lost and subsequently returned to their owners, normalizing abandonment data by population. Using publicly available regional data and spatial regression models, we found that the number of people receiving unemployment benefits was consistently and negatively associated with the number of dog abandonments per 100,000 residents, which was normalized by total population to avoid potential errors. Rabies vaccination costs were also negatively associated with abandonment. In contrast, comprehensive income tax amounts—a proxy for regional wealth—were positively correlated with the percentage of dog abandonments reported in 2021 and 2023. Spatial Lag Models accounted for over 50% of the variance in the number of dog abandonments, confirming spatial dependence and highlighting the importance of geographically targeted animal welfare interventions. However, spatial patterns in adoption were less consistent. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating economic and spatial considerations into the design of public policies and shelter strategies to mitigate dog abandonment and enhance adoption outcomes.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/11/1613dog abandonmentadoptionsocioeconomic factorsveterinary costsspatial dependence |
| spellingShingle | HyungChul Rah Socioeconomic and Spatial Determinants of Dog Abandonment and Adoption in the Republic of Korea (2021–2023) Animals dog abandonment adoption socioeconomic factors veterinary costs spatial dependence |
| title | Socioeconomic and Spatial Determinants of Dog Abandonment and Adoption in the Republic of Korea (2021–2023) |
| title_full | Socioeconomic and Spatial Determinants of Dog Abandonment and Adoption in the Republic of Korea (2021–2023) |
| title_fullStr | Socioeconomic and Spatial Determinants of Dog Abandonment and Adoption in the Republic of Korea (2021–2023) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Socioeconomic and Spatial Determinants of Dog Abandonment and Adoption in the Republic of Korea (2021–2023) |
| title_short | Socioeconomic and Spatial Determinants of Dog Abandonment and Adoption in the Republic of Korea (2021–2023) |
| title_sort | socioeconomic and spatial determinants of dog abandonment and adoption in the republic of korea 2021 2023 |
| topic | dog abandonment adoption socioeconomic factors veterinary costs spatial dependence |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/11/1613 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hyungchulrah socioeconomicandspatialdeterminantsofdogabandonmentandadoptionintherepublicofkorea20212023 |