A QUANTITATIVE STUDY OF THE ATTITUDES OF MEMBERS OF A BLACK DEVELOPING COMMUNITY TOWARDS THEIR DOGS AND VETERINARY SERVICES

To further the study of human-companion animal interactions in black developing communities, the clients (n=94) of a university-based animal hospital, serving primarily a developing community, were interviewed. The interviews covered demographics, socio-economic aspects, perceptions, values and attitudes of clients towards their dogs. Regular and new clients were compared. A profile of the hospital's black clientele was also constructed. The study showed that the majority of black clients value their dogs for the sake of security and protection. Attitudes towards pets parallelled improvements in socio­ economic status. Most clients felt positive towards existing veterinary services. The results of this study support and highlight the value of a previous observational study and could prove to be invaluable in designing, implementing and planning socially relevant animal health services.