ABSTRACT

An online survey of 991 US adults examines differences in attitudes among the general US population toward spaying and neutering cats and dogs, with a focus on differences between urban and rural respondents and the influence of demographic characteristics. While current literature focuses on sterilization behaviors of guardians, this study will contribute to a better understanding of attitudes in the general population. Twelve items measure attitudes toward spay/neuter. Each item is analyzed with a separate multiple regression to understand urban–rural, cat–dog and demographic differences in attitudes. Results indicate fewer urban–rural and cat–dog differences than expected, though rural respondents are less likely to find the practice cruel, think animals should have a litter before sterilization, or support laws to require sterilization. People asked about dogs are more likely to agree that spay/neuter operations are expensive but are less likely to believe it “is the right thing to do” than those asked about cats. The most prevalent characteristics impacting attitudes are guardianship, age, and gender. Guardians are more likely to attribute positive health and behavioral outcomes to sterilization and feel that it is morally and socially positive. Compared with baby boomers, the Millennial generation (18–34) and Generation X (35–54) have less knowledge of sterilization and more concerns about its safety. Millennials are also less likely to find sterilization to be morally and socially positive. Women showed more support than men overall for sterilization as morally and socially positive and are more accepting of social and political management of sterilization. Overall, these findings highlight social support for spay/neuter, though less support for managing it with political intervention such as laws.

摘要

一项针对991名美国成年人的在线调查研究了美国普通民众对猫和狗的绝育和绝育的态度差异，重点是城乡受访者之间的差异以及人口统计学特征的影响。尽管当前文献关注监护人的绝育行为，但这项研究将有助于更好地理解普通人群的态度。十二个项目衡量对Spay / neuter的态度。对每个项目进行单独的多元回归分析，以了解城乡，猫狗和人口统计学上的态度差异。结果表明，尽管农村受访者不太可能觉得这种做法残酷，认为动物在绝育前应该带垫料或支持法律要求绝育，但城乡差异和猫狗差异要小于预期。被问到狗的人比被问到猫的人更有可能同意进行花neu /中性手术很昂贵，但不太可能相信这样做是“正确的事情”。影响态度的最普遍特征是监护权，年龄和性别。监护人更有可能将绝育的健康和行为归因于绝育，并认为这在道德和社会上都是积极的。与婴儿潮一代相比，千禧一代（18-34岁）和X一代（35-54岁）对消毒的知识较少，对其安全性的关注更多。千禧一代也不太可能发现绝育在道德和社会上都是积极的。在道德和社会上，妇女在总体上比男性表现出比男性更多的支持，并更多地接受对绝育的社会和政治管理。总体，