Dog Park Membership and Life Satisfaction Among Older Adults

Dog park members initially join and attend dog parks for the wellbeing of their dogs, but often experience their own biopsychosocial benefits. This mixed methodology (Quantitative n=44, Qualitative n=11) ) pilot study utilized qualitative heuristic interviewing (Moustakas, C., 1990) and the Satisfaction with Life Survey (Pavot, W., & Diener, E. 2013). Data gathered from interviews and surveys administered to participants of a members-only dog-park indicate a high satisfaction with life. Members 60 years and older reported feelings of life satisfaction almost 7 points over the total respondent average, placing them in the “highly satisfied” range. All members experience the dog-park as a supportive social environment that benefits their physical health, mental health and the well-being of their canine companions. Five qualitative themes were identified: Canine Well-being, Community, Mental Health Benefits, Physical Health Benefits and Fights, Falls & Frustrations. These findings demonstrate the need for more research into the impact and importance of pet ownership, community dog parks and outdoor green spaces on older adults and life satisfaction.

Survey on the Presence of Bacterial, Fungal and Helminthic Agents in Off-Leash Dog Parks Located in Urban Areas in Central-Italy

Off-leash dog parks are designated public spaces where dogs can move freely, under their owners’ supervision. These areas, allowing animals to socialize and move freely, are fundamental for dogs’ welfare. However, different pathogens, even zoonotic, may be excreted by the attending animals and contaminate the environment. The aim of the present study was to verify the occurrence of bacterial, fungal and parasitic pathogens in off-leash dog parks located in Florence (central Italy). Between March and May 2019, 83 fecal samples, 43 soil samples and 23 water samples (from fountains and puddles) collected from 26 off-leash fenced areas were examined. Fecal samples scored positive for Yersinia spp. (n = 7), Listeria innocua (n = 4), Toxocara canis eggs (n = 2) and Ancylostoma caninum/Uncinaria stenocephala eggs (n = 1). Keratinophilic geophilic fungi (mostly Microsporum gypseum /A. incurvatum) were recovered from 43 soil samples belonging to 23 out of 26 parks, along with Microsporum canis in a single case. Prototheca spp. was never isolated from water samples, while Trichosporon sp. was cultured in two cases, alone and in association with Geotrichum candidum. These results show that dogs did not act as important carriers for the investigated bacterial and parasitic pathogens, although examined areas may represent a risk for the spreading of some dermatophytoses to both pets and their owners. Periodical examinations to assess the main bacteriological, parasitological and mycological pathogens in different samples collected in off-leash dog parks should be carried out in a One-Health perspective.

“My dog and I, we need the park”: more-than-human agency and the emergence of dog parks in Poland, 2015–2020

The article analyzes the emergence of dog parks in Polandi, on the basis of stories from local media, with emphasis on how dog park proponents justify the need for establishing dog runs. Even though official arguments present dog parks as an amenity that offers training opportunities for dogs, the guardians’ activism is motivated by the recognition of their dogs’ needs for off-leash play and social interaction with others dogs. The guardians often phrase the arguments using language that presents the interests of the human and the canine as inseparable, sometimes even merging the human and the dog through the use of second person plural. The article identifies this type of argumentation as an expression of more-than-human agency: the humans not only see themselves as speaking on behalf of their dogs, but see themselves as speaking with their dogs. However, the article also identifies social and cultural factors that have made dog parks a desirable amenity in Poland. These include the parks’ associations with progress, modernity and broadly understood “Western” culture. The drive to build parks is thus also tied with the desire for a spatial emblem of the recognition of the human-canine bond. These social and cultural factors also shape the hybrid agency at work in the Polish dog park debates.

Detection of gastrointestinal parasitism at recreational canine sites in the USA: the DOGPARCS study

Background: The rapid growth in off-leash dog parks provides opportunity for canine socialization activities but carries risk of exposure to intestinal parasites. This study assessed the prevalence of these infections in dogs visiting off-leash dog parks.Methods: Fresh defecations were collected from dogs visiting parks in 30 metropolitan areas across the USA. Samples were analyzed by coproantigen immunoassay (CAI) (Fecal Dx® and Giardia Test, IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.) and zinc sulfate centrifugal flotation (CF). Owners responded to a questionnaire on their dog’s signalment and use of heartworm/intestinal parasite control medications (HWCM).Results: Samples were examined from 3006 dogs, 87.9% aged at least 12 months, visiting 288 parks. At least one intestinal parasite was detected in 622 (20.7%) samples, nematodes in 263 (8.8%), with hookworms, whipworms and ascarids in 7.1, 1.9 and 0.6% of samples, respectively. A sample positive for one or more intestinal parasites was found in 245 (85.1%) parks, with nematodes found in 143 (49.7%). Combined, CAI and CF detected 78.4% more intestinal nematode infections than CF alone. Hookworm and whipworm infections were detected in all age groups, but ascarids were only detected in dogs less than 4 years-old. Approximately 42% of dogs aged less than 1 year were positive for nematodes or Giardia. Based on owner reports, HWCM was current for 68.8% of dogs, dogs previously diagnosed with intestinal parasitism were more likely to be receiving a HWCM than those without such history, and a significantly lower (P = 0.0003) proportion of dogs receiving a HWCM were positive for intestinal nematodes compared with those not on such medication.Conclusions: Intestinal parasites, the most common of which were Giardia, Ancylostoma caninum and Trichuris vulpis, were found in 20% of dogs and 85% of dog parks across the USA. Enhanced detection of canine intestinal parasitism was achieved by combining CF and CAI. Canine intestinal parasites are common across the USA and dog health can be improved by regular testing of fecal samples and routine administration of medications effective against the most common infections.

Travel Demand and Emissions from Driving Dogs to Dog Parks

This paper reports on an intercept survey of dog park visitors in Seattle, U.S., which was combined with Google Maps and Google Popular Times data to develop estimates of the number of walking trips, vehicle miles traveled (VMT), and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with traveling to dog parks. It is estimated that approximately 1.6 million VMT and more than 700 tonnes CO2-equivalent are generated annually by driving dogs to dog parks in Seattle, representing approximately 0.07% of vehicle trips and 0.04% of GHG emissions from cars and light trucks in the city. Based on a stated choice exercise, it is estimated that allowing dogs off-leash in neighborhood parks could reduce these VMT and GHG emissions by 38% and 45%, respectively, while encouraging more than 39,000 additional walking trips annually. Even limiting such use to the hours of 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. would reduce VMT and GHGs by 24% and 28%, respectively, while encouraging 22,000 additional walking trips. Although less than 20% of survey respondents expressed an interest in replacing a trip to the dog park with a visit to a neighborhood park, those who did were likely to replace driving trips to the dog park with walking trips. Thus, allowing dogs off-leash in neighborhood parks, even for limited hours each day, could increase physical activity while reducing the vehicle travel and GHG emissions associated with driving dogs to dog parks.

Detection of Gastrointestinal Parasitism at Recreational Canine Sites in the United States (the DOGPARCS study)

Background The rapid growth in off-leash dog parks provides opportunity for canine socialization activities but carries risk of exposure to intestinal parasites. This study assessed the prevalence of these infections in dogs visiting off-leash dog parks.Methods Fresh defecations were collected from dogs visiting parks in 30 metropolitan areas across the United States. Samples were analyzed by coproantigen immunoassay (CAI) (FecalDx ® and Giardia Test, IDEXX Laboratories, Inc) and zinc sulfate centrifugal flotation (CF). Owners responded to a questionnaire on their dog’s signalment and use of heartworm/intestinal parasite control medications (HWCM).Results Samples were examined from 3,006 dogs, 87.9% aged at least 12 months, visiting 288 parks. At least one intestinal parasite was detected in 622 (20.7%) samples, nematodes in 263 (8.8%), with hookworm, whipworm, and ascarids in 7.1, 1.9, and 0.6% of samples, respectively. A sample positive for one or more intestinal parasites was found in 245 (85.1%) parks, with nematodes found in 143 (49.7%). Combined, CAI and CF detected 78.4% more intestinal nematode infections than CF alone. Hookworm and whipworm were detected in all age groups, but ascarids were only detected in dogs less than 4 years. Approximately 42% of dogs aged less than 1 year were positive for nematodes or Giardia . Based on owner reports, HWCM was current for 68.8% of dogs, dogs previously diagnosed with intestinal parasitism were more likely to be receiving a HWCM than those without such history, and a significantly lower ( P = 0.0003) proportion of dogs receiving a HWCM were positive for intestinal nematodes compared with those not on such medication.Conclusion Intestinal parasites, the most common of which were Giardia , Ancylostoma caninum and Trichuris vulpis , were found in 20% of dogs and 85% of dog parks across the United States. Enhanced detection of canine intestinal parasitism was achieved by combining CF and CAI. Canine intestinal parasites are common across the United States, and dog health can be improved by regular testing of fecal samples and routine administration of medications effective against the most common infections.

Detection of Gastrointestinal Parasitism at Recreational Canine Sites in the United States (the DOGPARCS study)

Background: The rapid growth in off-leash dog parks provides opportunity for canine socialization activities but carries risk of exposure to intestinal parasites. This study assessed the prevalence of these infections in dogs visiting dog parks.Methods: Fresh defecations were collected from dogs visiting parks in 30 metropolitan areas across the United States. Samples were analyzed by coproantigen immunoassay (CAI) (FecalDx® and Giardia Test, IDEXX Laboratories) and zinc sulfate centrifugal flotation (CF). Owners responded to a questionnaire on their dog’s signalment and use of heartworm/intestinal parasite control medications (HWCM). Results: Samples were examined from 3,006 dogs, 87.9% aged at least 12 months, visiting 288 parks. At least one intestinal parasite was detected in 622 (20.7%) samples, nematodes in 263 (8.8%), with hookworm, whipworm, and ascarids in 7.1, 1.9, and 0.6% of samples, respectively. A sample positive for one or more intestinal parasites was found in 245 (85.1%) parks, with nematodes found in 143 (49.7%). Combined, CAI and CF detected 78.4% more intestinal nematode infections than CF alone. Hookworm and whipworm were detected in all age groups, but ascarids were only detected in dogs less than 4 years. Approximately 42% of dogs aged less than 1 year were positive for nematodes or Giardia. Based on owner reports, HWCM was current for 68.8% of dogs, dogs previously diagnosed with intestinal parasitism were more likely to be receiving a HWCM than those without such history, and a significantly lower (P = 0.0003) proportion of dogs receiving a HWCM were positive for intestinal nematodes compared with those not on such medication.Conclusion: Intestinal parasites, the most common of which were Giardia, Ancylostoma caninum and Trichuris vulpis, were found in 20% of dogs and 85% of dog parks across the United States. Optimal detection of canine intestinal parasitism was achieved by combining CF and CAI. Canine intestinal parasites are common across the United States, and dog health can be enhanced by regular testing of fecal samples and routine administration of medications effective against the most common infections.