How Free-Roaming, Stray Cats and Dogs Influence Tourism Decisions

Published:: January 2026
Reading time:: 3 minutes

About the Research Brief Series

CANDi Research Briefs translate published research into practical insights that help tourism destinations, tourism businesses, governments, and local animal welfare organizations better understand the relationship between tourism and the humane management of free-roaming, stray cats and dogs.

Overview

CANDi partnered with Faunalytics to better understand how encounters with free-roaming cats and dogs affect visitor experiences, destination reputation, and travel decisions.

Tourism destinations lacked evidence connecting free-roaming animal conditions with visitor perceptions. This research helped establish an evidence base for Humane Tourism.

Key Figures

63%

Of U.S. travelers encountered free-roaming cats or dogs

61%

Of Canadian travelers encountered free-roaming cats or dogs

41%

Were less likely to revisit destinations with significant free-roaming animal issues

Key Findings

Encounters are common

63% of U.S. travelers and 61% of Canadian travelers reported encountering free-roaming cats or dogs while traveling.

Encounters can affect return intentions

41% of respondents said they were less likely to revisit destinations with significant free-roaming animal issues.

Encounters influence what visitors tell others

Many respondents said these experiences would influence their recommendations to other travelers and the reviews they post online.

Why This Matters

Tourism Destinations

The findings indicate that humane population management contributes to visitor experience, destination reputation, community wellbeing, and sustainable tourism performance.

Tourism Businesses

Free-roaming animal welfare is not a peripheral issue. It shapes how visitors experience, review, and return to a destination, which makes evidence-based humane management a practical investment in tourism quality and reputation.

CANDi Perspective

This research continues to inform CANDi's Humane Tourism initiatives and our partnerships with destinations seeking practical, evidence-based solutions for free-roaming, stray cats and dogs.