Good-looking vs. Obedient, Which Would You Rather Take Home? Appearance and Behavioral Predictors Affecting the Adoption of Shelter Dogs in Slovakia.

The aim of the study was to investigate the key factors influencing the successful adoption of dogs from dog shelters in Slovakia. The study covered the following factors in relation to individual dogs: time spent at the shelter, age, body weight, sex, coat color, length of the coat, and behavior (specifically intraspecific aggression, aggression toward humans, activity, and fear-related behavior). The survey was conducted in three shelters in the territory of the Slovak Republic. The online and on-site questionnaires of about 162 successfully adopted dogs were collected and were filled in by the shelter staff, those who accepted dogs into the shelter. Non-parametric statistics (Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis H test followed by Dunn's multiple comparisons test with correction) confirmed that the most important factors influencing the decision-making process of potential adopters were the age of the dog and its weight. However, we found that the length or color of the coat and sex had no effect on early adoption. While behavior is important during the prospective adopter/owner's interaction with the dog, it is still not the most important criterion in making a decision.

Parasitic Helminths in Snakes from The Global Legal Trade.

In recent years, the demand for snakes imported from different countries around the world has increased in Slovakia. However, such snakes can be infected with a wide variety of parasites. We have been focused on monitoring the prevalence of parasitic helminths of snakes imported to Slovakia. From 2015 to 2020, 205 samples were collected. We examined faecal samples of 185 live snakes, and a parasitological autopsy was performed on 20 carcasses. Out of a total of 205 snakes, parasitic helminths were found in 44 individuals (21.46 %). Coprological examination of live snakes confirmed positivity for the presence of helminths in 38 snakes (20.54 %). Through parasitological autopsy of all the dead snakes, we found helminths or their eggs in 6 carcasses (30.00 %). The genera of helminths found in the positive snakes were: Ophiotaenia spp., Kapsulotaenia spp., Strongyloides spp., Rhabdias spp., Ophidascaris spp., Ascaridia spp., f. Heterakidae, Kalicephalus spp., Capillaria spp., order Oxyurida and stages of the plerocercoid of an unidentifi ed species of tapeworm in the subcutaneous tissue.