- 1Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria Australia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
This study examines the effectiveness of animal management from a critical theory
perspective, establishing a framework to describe the animal management
activities of local government. In creating sustainable cities, local
government must critically engage with the management of other species
which live alongside humans. Despite around 40 % of Australian
households owning a dog, there is relatively scarce scholarly attention
paid to animal management as a subject in its own right. There are
numerous studies examining the need to regulate dogs, however there are
relatively few studies which examine the effectiveness of regulation.
RESULTS:
This
study adopts interpretive qualitative content analyses of documentary
and interview accounts to critically describe the practice of animal
management and suggest why it takes place the way it does. An
ontological-methodological framework is introduced to frame the practice
of animal management, relating the methodology of animal management to
the underlying ontological orientation of local government. This study
highlights some institutional conditions which allow particular animal
management activities to flourish. Enforcement of barking dog nuisance
and responsible dog ownership education are shown to demonstrate
attributes of regulatory success. Conversely, enforcement of effective
control and community education processes demonstrate some attributes of
regulatory failure.
CONCLUSIONS:
This
study demonstrates how institutional ontology and methodology affect
the practice of animal management. This study provides animal management
officers and local government with a means to critically examine
particular approaches to animal management in practice, offering an
opportunity to improve the effectiveness of animal management functions
in local government. In contributing to improving the awareness of local
government as to how they plan for and manage dogs, this study
contributes to a broader community consideration of dogs as a beneficial
part of society.
KEYWORDS:
Animal management; Dogs; Institutional ontology; Local government; Regulation
