Personal Narrative: In-Home Animal Welfare Audit

If I were going to be giving an in-home animal welfare audit on the following animals: large and small dog, 3 cats, 2 hamsters, and a goldfish, I would first start off my audit by examining the home and the surroundings of the animals. This would be my first and most obvious observation that would give me a great deal of insight as to if this is going to be a good or a bad audit. I would look at the condition of the floors, the walls, stairs, cabinets, doors, and the overall infrastructure. If there were scratch marks on doors, cabinets, defecation stains in the carpet, or other unordinary signs, I would begin digging deeper into things. I would also examine the outside condition of the house. I would look at what the backyard looked like, if there were outdoor cages/pens, if the grass was missing from parts of the yard that could indicate neglect from being tied outside for too long, and look to see if the outdoor area is maintained properly meaning fencing and landscape. Next I would look into each animal closer.

Lets start with the dogs. I would examine them for any malnutrition

or physical harm that might on them. I would ask the owners how often the dogs visit the vet for checkups. This question will tell me if the owner takes the initiative to ensure that the dogs are receiving yearly vaccinations and being checked up on for disease/illness. I would ask the owner how often the dogs are fed, ensuring the dogs receive adequate nutrition throughout the day. I would also ask how often the dogs are let outside for activity and if/how often they are put in their kennels/pens. Asking these questions ensures the dogs are getting access outside to relieve themselves, but also exercise. Asking about the kennels will inform me if the dogs are penned in their kennel all day, or if they are rarely in them except for rare occasions. Depending on the answer, this could indicate neglect from the owners leaving the animal in a poor welfare state. In the evening, I would look at where the dogs laid and examine if the bedding is proper, or insufficient for them.
I would then examine the cats. I would also looks the cats over for a physical examination and depending on what I saw go from there. I would ask similar questions as with the dogs about vet visits and check ups. With the cats I would ask how often their claws are clipped. Failure to clip the claws can cause for overgrown claws and that is very painful to a cat. I would examine the litter box area to see if it is cleaned out. I would ask the owners how often the box is cleaned and new litter is put down. I would look for a water source that the cats and dogs most likely share and ensure that there is adequate water for all the animals to drink. I would ask the owners how often the water dish is cleaned and refilled. Improper cleaning can lead to a higher bacteria content in the water.
When it comes to examine the hamsters I would start by looking at their cage.

The structure of the cage is important since they live their majority of their life. If the cage is rusted, has cracks or holes, or is falling apart them I would begin to question how well these animals are cared for. Next I would look at the bedding. If the bedding is not changed often enough, the animals can get sores or sleep in their our fecal content. I would ask the owners how often they changed the bedding. I would also ask the owners to see if the hamsters ever see the vet, or how the make sure they are healthy. The health of these pets is critical. I would ask the owners how often they bathe the hamsters, or if they do at all. People may not think animals need to be groomed, but they do just like humans do. I would ask about exercise for these hamsters. If there is a spinning wheel inside that

would