Buying a dog in a poke: Infectious, emotional and economic flows in the international dog trade

This project focuses on the social factors behind the increasing number of dogs brought into Sweden. The aim is to contribute to a sociological, theoretical understanding of how the movement of dogs across national borders are related to medical assessments, emotional bonds, and economic considerations. The project will also contribute to knowledge about how to best address the risks associated with the international transportion of dogs.

Dogs brought into Sweden must be vaccinated against rabies, but random tests conducted in Nordic countries have shown that many of them lack antibodies against the virus. This indicates that dogs are either vaccinated too early for the vaccine to be effective—or that the vaccination certificates are counterfeits. The Swedish Economic Crime Authority also highlights illegal dog trade as a growing issue. As a result, there is a growing population of dogs that lack proper vaccinations and may have carried infections when entering the country. Existing regulations are thus not sufficient to combat these risks. A social scientific understanding of the processes by which dogs are brought into Sweden is needed.

In this project, sociologists and veterinarians will collaborate to study how this problem has emerged and what can be done to address it. To do so, interviews will be conducted with representatives of rescue dog organizations, veterinarians who assess the risks of dogs brought into Sweden, and people who acquire imported dogs.