Document type: survey study published in Animals
Authors: Corsetti, S.; Natoli, E.; Malandrucco, L.
Preview: The "no-kill" policy for domestic dogs, adopted in Italy in 1991, reflects a growing interest in animal welfare and increases dogs' chances of being adopted and living with a family. However, non-adoptable dogs have to spend their entire lives in shelters. This article presents adoption figures from the "Muratella" shelter (Rome) over the periods 2012-2016 (first period) and 2018-2022 (second period), illustrating the results of the no-kill policy in a major metropolitan area. In addition, it discusses the ethical implications after 34 years of implementation of Italian laws on the management of dogs at large. During the first period, 7888 dogs entered the shelter, of which 4247 (53.84%) were adopted and 307 (3.89%) were not. Similarly, during the second period, 8853 dogs entered the shelter, of which 4251 (49.11%) were adopted and 278 (3.16%) remained at the shelter at the end of 2022. We also report on the fate of unadopted dogs at the end of 2024. Despite the success of our adoptions, the small percentage of dogs condemned to remain at the shelter for the rest of their lives still represents a significant number and warrants ethical reflection.
