This study was conducted in the South African Working Dog Environment. Working Dog Handlers (WDH’s) (n = 389) from different state and private institutions participated in the study. The study population comprised of two groups. Population A (n = 265) comprised of South African Police Service (SAPS) WDH’s whom participated in the study and Population B (n = 124) included all other WDH’s i.e., Department of Correctional Services (DCS), South African Revenue Service (SARS), Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD), Cape Town Metro Police Department and Private Security Services.
The study population comprised of (n = 71) female and (n = 313) male WDH’s. The purpose of the study was to assess and evaluate the WDH’s demographic variables i.e., gender, educational attainment and annual income to determine their influence on the interaction the WDH has with his/her Working Dog (WD) and the perception the WDH has of Animal Welfare. The following instruments which were employed by Anthropologists in companion animal studies were adapted i.e., the Monash Dog Owner Relationship Scale (MDORS) Dwyer, Bennett & Coleman (2006) and the Animal Welfare Scale Zalaf & Egan (2015) for this study. A third instrument, a General Knowledge Scale was developed, to determine what animal husbandry knowledge was considered essential for WDH’s.
The findings in this study showed no significant differences in gender and annual income (p > 0,05) in both the study populations. The variable “educational attainment” in Population B was significant (p = 0,03277) in the General Knowledge Scale. Significant differences were noted with dog owner interaction in Population A (p = 0,00084) and Animal Welfare (p < 0,0001). Both the study populations showed significant differences towards general knowledge, (p < 0,001) in Population A and B.
With the Kruskal-Wallis analysis the Five Freedoms of Animal welfare also showed significance differences in Population A (chi-squared = 14,994, p = 0,01039) with the demographic variable educational attainment. Kruskal-Wallis tests were performed using the total scores for the MDORS, Animal Welfare and General Knowledge sections respectively as dependent variables and all demographic variables in Section A (MDORS) as independent variables. Significant results were investigated further using a post-hoc Dunn test with significant pairwise comparisons. The demographic variables indicated significant differences in both populations. In conclusion, the focal point of future research should be on the development of the WDH to ensure the physical and psychological well-being of the WD.
Hierdie studie was in die Suid-Afrikaanse Werkhond-omgewing uitgevoer. Honde-hanteerders (n = 389) van verskillende staats- en privaatinstansies het aan die studie deelgeneem. Die studiepopulasie het uit twee groepe bestaan. Bevolking A het bestaan uit Hondehandteerders van die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisie Diens (SAPD) en Bevolking B het alle ander WDH's ingesluit, dit wil sê, Departement van Korrektiewe Dienste (DKD), Suid-Afrikaanse Inkomstediens (SAID), Tshwane Metro Polisie Departement (TMPD), Kaapstad Metro Polisie Departement en Privaat Veiligheidsdienste.
Die studiepopulasie het bestaan uit (n = 71) vroulike en (n = 313) manlike WDH's. Die doel van die studie was om die WDH se demografiese veranderlikes, naamlik geslag, opvoedkundige prestasie en jaarlikse inkomste te assesseer om hul invloed op die interaksie wat die WDH met sy/haar Werkshond het en die persepsie wat die hondehandteerder het van diere welvaart te bepaal.
Die volgende instrumente wat deur antropoloë in geselskapsdierstudies gebruik was, was aangepas in die huidige studie byvoorbeeld die “Monash Dog Owner Relationship Scale” (MDORS) (Dwyer, Bennett & Coleman, 2006) en die “Animal Welfare Scale” (Zalaf & Egan, 2015). 'n Derde instrument, 'n Algemene Kennisskaal, was ontwikkel om te bepaal watter kennis van diere versorging word as noodsaaklik vir Hondehandteerders beskou.
Die bevindinge in hierdie studie het geen betekenisvolle verskille in geslag en jaarlikse inkomste (p > 0,05) in beide die studiepopulasies getoon nie. Die veranderlike "opvoedkundige bereiking" in Bevolking B was in die Algemene Kennisskaal betekenisvol (p = 0,03277). Beduidende verskille is opgemerk met interaksie met hondehandteerders in Bevolking A (p = 0,00084) en Dierewelsyn (p < 0,0001). Beide die studie populasies het beduidende verskille teenoor algemene kennis, (p < 0,001) in Bevolking A en B getoon.
Met die Kruskal-Wallis analise het die Vyf Vryhede van Dierewelsyn ook betekenis getoon in Bevolking A (chi-kwadraat = 14,994, p = 0,01039) met die demografiese veranderlike opvoedkundige prestasie. Kruskal-Wallis-toetse was uitgevoer met behulp van die totale tellings vir die MDORS, Dierewelsyn en algemene kennis afdelings onderskeidelik as afhanklike veranderlikes en alle demografiese veranderlikes in Afdeling A (MDORS) as onafhanklike veranderlikes. Beduidende resultate is verder ondersoek met behulp van 'n post-hoc Dunn-toets met beduidende paarsgewyse vergelykings. Die demografiese veranderlikes het beduidende verskille in beide populasies aangedui.
Lolu cwaningo lwenziwe Ezemvelo ZaseNingizimu Afrika Ezisebenza Ngezinja (WDH’s). Abantu Abasebenza Ngezinja (n = 389) ezivela ezikhungweni ezahlukene zikahulumeni nezizimele zibambe iqhaza ocwaningweni. Isibalo socwaningo sakhiwe amaqoqo amabili. Isibalo sabantu A (n = 265) sakhiwe Ezamaphoyisa ZaseNingizimu Afrika (SAPS) Ezemvelo ZaseNingizimu Afrika Ezisebenza Ngezinja zibambe iqhaza ocwaningweni kanti inani labantu B (n = 124) lalihlanganisa zonke ezinye Ezemvelo ZaseNingizimu Afrika Ezisebenza Ngezinja okungukuthi, uMnyango Wezokuhlunyeleliswa Kwezimilo (DCS), uMnyango Wezentela eNingizimu Afrika (SARS), uMnyango wamaPhoyisa kaMasipala waseTshwane (TMPD), uMnyango wamaPhoyisa kaMasipala waseKapa kanye noMnyango Wezokuphepha Ezizimele.
Isibalo socwaningo sakhiwe (n = 71) abesifazane kanye (n = 313) nama-WDH abesilisa. Injongo yocwaningo bekuwukuhlola nokubheka okuguquguqukayo kwezibalo zabantu be-WDH okungukuthi, ubulili, ukuzuzwa kwezemfundo kanye nemali engenayo yonyaka ukuze kutholwe ithonya labo ekusebenzeleni i-WDH enayo Nenja Yakhe Esebenzayo (WD) kanye nombono i-WDH enawo ngeSilwane. Inhlalakahle. Amathuluzi alandelayo asetshenzisiwe Izazi zesayensi yemfundo ngomuntu oyisilwane esiphilayo ezifundweni zezilwane ezihambisanayo ashintshwa okungukuthi, i-Monash Dog Owner Relationship Scale (MDORS) Dwyer, Bennett & Coleman (2006) kanye ne-Animal Welfare Scale Zalaf & Egan (2015) yalolu cwaningo. Ithuluzi lesithathu, i-General Knowledge Scale yasungulwa, ukuze kutholakale ukuthi yiluphi ulwazi ngokufuywa kwezilwane olwalubhekwa njengelubalulekile kuma-WDH.
Okutholwe kulolu cwaningo akukhombisi mehluko obalulekile emalini engenayo yobulili kanye yonyaka (p > 0,05) kuzo zombili izifunda zocwaningo. Ukuhlukahluka “kokuzuzwa kwezemfundo” Kubantu B kwakubalulekile (p = 0,03277) Esikalini Solwazi Olujwayelekile. Umehluko omkhulu uqashelwe ngokusebenzisana kwabanikazi bezinja Eqoqweni A (p = 0,00084) kanye Nenhlalakahle Yezilwane (p0,0001). Zombili lezi zibalo zocwaningo zibonise umehluko omkhulu olwazini olujwayelekile, (p < 0,001) Eqoqweni A kanye no-B.
Ngokuhlaziywa kwe-Kruskal-Wallis Izinkululeko Ezinhlanu Zenhlalakahle Yezilwane ziphinde zabonisa umehluko wokubaluleka Kubantu A (chi-squared = 14,994, p = 0,01039) ngokuzuzwa kwemfundo eguquguqukayo. Ukuhlolwa kwe-Kruskal-Wallis kwenziwa kusetshenziswa amaphuzu aphelele ezigaba ze-MDORS, Zenhlalakahle Yezilwane kanye Nolwazi Olujwayelekile ngokulandelana njengokuhlukahluka okuncikile nakho konke okuguquguqukayo kwezibalo zabantu Esigabeni A (MDORS) njengokuguquguqukayo okuzimele. Imiphumela ebalulekile yaphenywa ngokuqhubekayo kusetshenziswa ukuhlolwa kwe-Dunn yangemva kwesikhashana ngokuqhathanisa okubalulekile kokubili. Ukuhluka kwezibalo zabantu kubonise umehluko omkhulu kuzo zombili izigaba zabantu. Sengiphetha, indawo okugxilwe kuyo yocwaningo lwesikhathi esizayo kufanele ibe ekuthuthukisweni kwe-WDH ukuze kuqinisekiswe inhlalakahle engokomzimba nengokwengqondo ye-WD.
