An Exploration of Attitudes toward Dogs among College Students in Bangalore, India

Abstract

Conversations in the field of anthrozoology include treatment and distinction of food animals, animals as workers versus pests, and most recently, emerging pet trends including the practice of pet parenting. This paper explores attitudes toward pet dogs in the shared social space of urban India. The data include 375 pen-and-paper surveys from students at CHRIST (Deemed to be University) in Bangalore, India. Reflecting upon Serpell’s biaxial concept of dogs as a relationship of affect and utility, the paper considers the growing trend of pet dog keeping in urban spaces and the increased use of affiliative words to describe these relationships. The paper also explores potential sex differences in attitudes towards pet and stray dogs. Ultimately, these findings suggest that the presence of and affiliation with pet dogs, with reduced utility and increased affect, is symptomatic of cultural changes typical of societies encountering the second demographic transition. Despite this, sex differences as expected based upon evolutionary principles, remain present, with women more likely to emphasize health and welfare and men more likely to emphasize bravery and risk taking.

Interviews with Indian Animal Shelter Staff: Similarities and Differences in Challenges and Resiliency Factors Compared to Western Counterparts

“…In their ethnographic analysis, Bhan and Bose (2020) describe purebred dogs as a symbol of middle- and upper-class Indian identity, with potential roots in colonial messaging that distinguished British authorities and their “pedigree dogs” from Indian subjects and street dogs [ 46 ]. Volsche, Mohan, Gray and Rangawamy (2019) surveyed college students in Bangalore, India, with 89% of the total sample identifying as upper or upper-middle-class [ 47 ]. From the total respondents, 62.1% stated they preferred a purebred dog, while only 19.91% preferred Indian street dogs.…”

The Interplay Between Affect, Dog's Physical Activity and Dog–Owner Relationship

“…Nineteen ( N = 19) volunteer dog owners (17 females, 2 males, age: M = 33 years) were chosen to participate in the study. The most common breeds were Border Collie ( 3 ), Labrador Retriever ( 3 ), mixed breed ( 2 ), and the rest included, for example, Welsh Springer Spaniel, Golden Retriever, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, Australian Shepherd, Doberman, and German Shepherd. Six of the dogs were males, and the rest ( 12 ) were females.…”

“…Domestic dogs are highly social animals, and due to that, mutual relationships develop easily with humans ( 1 ). In Finland, as in many other cultures around the world ( 2 , 3 ), domestic dogs are considered as family members, who usually live at the homes of their owners. The strong social bond between dogs and their owners resembles the attachment between a parent and a child, and includes characteristics present in a friendship [reviewed in ( 4 )].…”

Age Based Relationships among Loneliness, Pet Attachment Support, Wellbeing and Quality of Life in Pet Owners: A Socio-Emotional and Neurological Rehabilitation Perspective

“…To claim that an animal is a pet means that a person has developed a bond with it, which offers both psychological and social support [8]. The existence of dogs in urban areas and family homes is becoming increasingly popular throughout the world [9]. The characteristics of the pet owner, such as age, gender, income/social class, marital status, rural/urban residence and household type, have been shown to be associated with the number of pets owned [10].…”