Animal welfare culture:

Approach to principles and perceptions in responsible ownership of companion animals.

Abstract

The study examines the animal welfare culture in the province of Guayas, Ecuador, focusing on the practices and the perceptions of pet owners. The central problem addresses the variability in the knowledge and implementation of animal welfare practices among pet owners. The methodology used a mixed approach, with qualitative predominance complemented by quantitative data. A non-experimental, transversal and bibliographic descriptive design was developed. The data collection was implemented through surveys distributed on Google Forms to a representative random sample of 384 pet owners, ensuring the suitability of the participants through a 24-question Likert-type questionnaire. The descriptive statistical analysis was carried out with SPSS, highlighting that the majority of respondents feed their pets at regular times (55.5%) and use specific foods for their species, breed, size and age (51.6%). However, there is variability in other practices such as regular walks and contact with other animals. The results show that animal welfare principles, such as adequate feeding and veterinary consultation, are largely applied, although aspects such as freedom to express normal behaviors and the absence of fear and distress are only partially met. It is concluded that, although there is a good general understanding and application of animal welfare practices, the knowledge of related laws and regulations needs to be improved. This suggests the need to increase the education and the awareness about responsible ownership and animal welfare inorder to im prove the quality of life of pets.