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Results from only modelling papers from the final corpus of the effects of methods of dog population management on the indicators of impact and impact categories. ↑ indicates an increasing effect, ↓ a decreasing effect, and n.e. no effect; combinations of different symbols indicate where evidence is conflicting. The size of effect is extracted from papers and reported in terms of the years of modelling simulation. Supporting evidence is provided in references.
Source publication
The worldwide population of domestic dogs is estimated at approximately 700 million, with around 75% classified as “free-roaming”. Where free-roaming dogs exist in high densities, there are significant implications for public health, animal welfare, and wildlife. Approaches to manage dog populations include culling, fertility control, and shelterin...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... of methods were also studied: fertility control and sheltering (9 papers, 23%); fertility control and culling (6 papers, 15%); and fertility control and movement restriction (1 paper, 3%) ( Table 2). Of the papers that involved fertility control, 79% (23 of 29 papers) controlled the fertility of both male and female dogs (Tables 3 and 4). Eight papers (21%) directly compared different methods of management: three compared fertility control and culling (8%); three compared fertility control and sheltering (8%); one compared fertility control and movement restriction (3%); and one compared different taxation methods (3%). ...Context 2
... the various combinations, 36 papers (92%) investigated both free-roaming unowned and free-roaming owned dogs. Twenty-six of these papers (72%) grouped this population as one (e.g., the free-roaming dog population) and did not distinguish between owned and unowned dogs (Table S4). Two papers did not define their study population (5%). ...Context 3
... effects of the different methods of dog population management in modelling studies are presented in Table 4. The effects of methods that are directly compared within the final corpus papers are summarised in Table 5. ...Context 4
... modelling studies investigated the effect of culling on dog population demographics. All reported that culling decreased dog population size at the intensity modelled (see Table 4 for management coverage and length). Yoak et al.'s (2016) [85] agent-based model simulated that culling would decrease population size by 13% over 20 years [85] at current capture rates, although the intensity required to achieve this reduction is not reported. ...Context 5
... of methods were also studied: fertility control and sheltering (9 papers, 23%); fertility control and culling (6 papers, 15%); and fertility control and movement restriction (1 paper, 3%) ( Table 2). Of the papers that involved fertility control, 79% (23 of 29 papers) controlled the fertility of both male and female dogs (Tables 3 and 4). Eight papers (21%) directly compared different methods of management: three compared fertility control and culling (8%); three compared fertility control and sheltering (8%); one compared fertility control and movement restriction (3%); and one compared different taxation methods (3%). ...Context 6
... the various combinations, 36 papers (92%) investigated both free-roaming unowned and free-roaming owned dogs. Twenty-six of these papers (72%) grouped this population as one (e.g., the free-roaming dog population) and did not distinguish between owned and unowned dogs (Table S4). Two papers did not define their study population (5%). ...Context 7
... effects of the different methods of dog population management in modelling studies are presented in Table 4. The effects of methods that are directly compared within the final corpus papers are summarised in Table 5. ...Context 8
... modelling studies investigated the effect of culling on dog population demographics. All reported that culling decreased dog population size at the intensity modelled (see Table 4 for management coverage and length). Yoak et al.'s (2016) [85] agent-based model simulated that culling would decrease population size by 13% over 20 years [85] at current capture rates, although the intensity required to achieve this reduction is not reported. ...Similar publications
The community cats program (CCP), which includes trap–neuter–return activities, has been promoted in Japan to reduce the population of free-roaming cats without harmful effects on their welfare. To ascertain the effects of the CCP, a two-year route census of free-roaming cats was conducted in an area with CCP and the other area without CCP in urban...
Citations
... Traditional means of invasive predator management (i.e., physical removal, lethal control) have been highlighted as controversial, inhumane, and ineffective for domestic dogs, given their abundance and role as companion animals [179][180][181]. Nevertheless, addressing this issue represents a complex conservation challenge, given the interconnectedness of humans and dogs. ...
Human-introduced predators, primarily the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris), and human-modified landscapes conjointly threaten wildlife across Costa Rica. For arboreal species, including the two-fingered sloth (Choloepus hoffmani), the impact of domestic dogs is amplified in areas of habitat fragmentation. In efforts to navigate discontinuous canopies associated with urban development and human encroachment, C. hoffmani is forced to utilize terrestrial locomotion. This unnatural behavior leaves sloths increasingly vulnerable to predation by domestic dogs, which occupy altered landscapes in high densities. In this report, we detail the ante and postmortem findings associated with C. hoffmani following an extensive attack by three large-breed dogs. The patient sustained severe and fatal polytraumatic injuries targeting the abdominothoracic region. Gross lesions were not readily evident, obscured by unique anatomical characteristics of the species. This report aims to highlight the threat imposed by dogs to sloths and the severity of injuries, with considerations for clinical management in light of C. hoffmani morphology. We review the scope of domestic dog–wildlife conflict in Costa Rica, and propose collaborative mitigation strategies including habitat preservation, domestic dog population control, installation of wildlife corridors, policy initiatives, and dog owner education and public outreach.
... The worldwide dog population is estimated to be over 500 million [3,4]. According to other sources, the population of dogs on the world map is around 700 million, of which around 75% are classified as stray dogs [5]. caused by large carnivores to both wild and domestic species [36]. ...
... The domestic dog exhibits a remarkable level of phenotypic diversity, and it is the most morphologically variable land mammal [57]. It is estimated that the population of dogs on the world map is about 700 million, of which about 75% are classified as stray dogs [5]. ...
This paper analyses aspects of the ethology and feeding of stray dogs in the areas bordering the city of Suceava and the nearby towns. The study area is located in the hunting grounds (HG), which are managed by the “Ștefan cel Mare” University in Suceava. Between October 2017 and April 2022, the behaviour and the types of food consumed by stray dogs captured in the outskirts of the localities in the study area were analysed. A sample of 183 stray dogs were used for the study, and the analysis established the distribution and density of the dogs in the free-range area compared to the density of the wild animals of hunting interest. The tracks and travel routes of the stray dogs were highlighted. Areas where packs of feral dogs camp were also identified. Observations were made of the individual and social behaviours of the dogs, their gregariousness and the way in which they hunt. The types of food consumed were analysed for each specimen. Through the collected and analysed data, the opportunistic predatory behaviour of the stray dogs was highlighted. Thus, stray dogs revert to the typical wild canid ways of behaving. As for food, our results showed the dogs’ predilection for meat, both wild and domestic. On the other hand, the diet of roaming dogs is much more varied compared to that of wild canids. This is due to the fact that the way in which domestic dogs feed has changed over thousands of years as a result of living alongside humans.
... Various hospitals in the country have reported 25 to 30 cases of dog bites per day [5]. Globally, different approaches such as culling, sheltering, fertility control, combination of fertility control and sheltering have been implemented to manage population [6]. Recently, the country has introduced a capture neuter-vaccinate-and-release program in Punjab province to control stray dog population and reduce transmission of rabies. ...
Dog bites are a major cause for transmission of rabies virus to humans. Pakistan ranks fifth among most rabies affected countries in the world. There are a few regional (ecological) studies that investigate factors that explain geographic disparities in incidence of dog bite injuries. The main objective of this research was to document findings of spatial exploratory data analysis of incidence of reported cases of dog bite in Punjab province of Pakistan (2016-2019). In addition, we have quantified the association between incidence of dog bites and a set of selected socio-economic and demographic variables. District-wise data about reported cases of dog bite from 2016 to 2019 were used to map annual crude incidence per 100000 of population. There was an obvious spatial variation in incidence of dog bites but there was no evidence of spatial autocorrelation. The risk of dog bite attacks was relatively higher in districts with low human population density (per sq. km), poor literacy rate, more rural population (% of total population), and lower median nighttime lights.
... Because removal or destruction programs have been recognized as inhumane, dog control programs (DCPs) must implement other methods as core strategies to control stray dogs, including registration, neutering, and public education campaigns [11]. However, the population of stray dogs is maintained and be the major factor that interferes with DCPs [12]. This negative factor led to the idea of transforming stray dogs that are free-roaming to block dogs that are trapped, registered (microchipped), neutered, vaccinated, and released into habitats under the responsibility of the public [13]. ...
Background and aim:
The behavioral mechanism of stray dog occurrence is associated with domestication process. This study aimed to investigate the population and demographic relationship of stray dogs from our ecological habitat. We tested whether baited enclosure method could be used as an operant conditioning treat-ment to activate habituation behavior in stray dogs.
Materials and methods:
The first investigation determined the population and demographic characteristics of stray dogs in the metropolitan city of Bangkok using the mark and recapture procedure. In the second investigation, a large cage equipped with a digital camera was used as the feeding and habituation area. Food was provided at four corners for 2 h. The approach behaviors and eating patterns were recorded during this period for 7 days.
Results:
The average number of stray dogs calculated within each cluster was 24 ± 6 dogs. For the natural small habitat, the density of stray dogs was 662 dogs per km2. This indicated that the number of dogs is underestimated using the mark and recapture procedure because of undetected puppies and shifts in the sex ratio in adult dogs. In the second investigation, we demonstrated that food was a potent positive reinforcer for stray dogs. The average onset of cage entry after offering the food was 17 min. The onset of cage entry and the reduction in the first meal duration suggested that the habituation process could be achieved within 1 week.
Conclusion:
The results revealed the possibility of using a large cage as a novel enclosure for food offered as the positive reinforcer for TNR program trapping procedures. We suggest that this humane trapping procedure could be used to activate habituation behavior in stray dogs.
... Dog bites to humans are a risk wherever there are free-roaming dogs (10). Dog bite incidence may decrease following dog sterilization (11) presumably because agonistic interactions among dogs competing over a bitch in heat and from female dogs protecting puppies should be absent among sterilized dogs (12). Developing suitable management plans (e.g., vaccinating a certain proportion of free-roaming dogs per month) to reach societal objectives (e.g., reducing rabies prevalence in free-roaming dogs by 80%) requires, at a bare minimum, reasonable estimates of dog ownership, dog outdoor access, and population size but few estimates of these basic metrics are available (13). ...
Dogs ( Canis lupus familiaris ) are one of the most common pets around the world but ownership patterns and human-dog interactions have been changing, particularly in developing nations. We conducted household surveys in Costa Rica to characterize dog ownership, the owned dog population, where dogs were confined at night and in the morning, and behaviors regarding selected dog care issues. We also compared these results to similar questionnaires used in Costa Rica over the past 20 years. We found 76% of households in Costa Rica owned at least one dog and on average there were about 1.4 dogs owned per household. These dog ownership rates are higher than previous estimates. The probability of owning a dog was highest on farms and lowest in single family dwellings without a yard, higher among respondents that owned their homes and decreasing with increasing human population density The total number of owned dogs in Costa Rica was estimated to be 2,222,032 (95% confidence intervals: 1,981,497–2,503,751). The sterilization rate for homed dogs in 2020 was approximately 62% (females: 67%, males: 61%) which is higher than the 18% of owned dogs that were sterilized in a 2003 survey. Overall, only 1.2% (95% CI: 0.3–2.5%) of owned dogs slept on the street with a slightly higher proportion on the street at 8 am. The number of owned dogs roaming the streets at night nation-wide was estimated to be 27,208 (95% CI: 7,557–56,619) compared to 43,142 (95% CI: 20,118–73,618) on the street at 8 am. The number of unowned free-roaming dogs in Costa Rica has never been estimated but we can generate some idea of the size of the unowned dog population by determining the proportion of free-roaming dogs on the street wearing collars. There was a negative relationship between human population density and owned dogs being on the street meaning fewer dogs roam the streets in highly populated areas compared to less populated areas. Overall, we identify trends against which future progress can be measured and provide information that are critical in designing effective humane dog management programs in Costa Rica in the future.
... The same study also reported that risk factors associated with hoarder behavior have included the proliferation of pests and vectors, risk of fire (e.g., bare wiring or no available electricity leading to the use of candles), and landslips (e.g., object stacking and accumulation falling over persons and animals) (10). Protection programs and population management of companion animals have been increasingly established by non-and governmental agencies worldwide, mostly performing neutering-spaying services, responsible guardianship programs, animal cruelty surveillance, and adoption of stray, abandoned, and relinquished pets (11). Such programs have been historically established due to society's demands for control, prevention, and monitoring of pet abandonment, cruelty, and overpopulation, which is particularly aggravated in developing countries like Latin America (12). ...
The present study assessed the identification of animal and object hoarding disorder cases by contact and mapping and the presence of animal protection programs in association with seven social–economic indicators of the metropolitan area of the ninth-biggest metropolitan area of Brazil. City Secretaries of Health and Environment provided demographic information and responded to a questionnaire. Overall, a very high level of hoarding case identification per municipality was associated with a higher Human Development Index, population, density, and income and related to distance from Curitiba, the capital of Parana State. Low and very low levels of hoarding case identification were related to greater area, higher Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), inequality, illiteracy, and rural areas. Very high identification level of animal protection programs was also associated with higher HDI, density and population, urban area, and high income, and geographical area. Similarly, low and very low levels of animal protection programs identification were major explained by low income, illiteracy, and distance related to higher population, urbanization, and higher HDI. In summary, better identification of hoarding cases and animal protection programs have shown an association with better socioeconomic indicators and higher population, density, and urban area. Whether municipalities with better human socioeconomic indicators may stimulate society's demands for identification of cases of individuals with hoarding disorder and animal programs should be further established. Regardless, animal health and welfare have been associated with improving human quality of life in a major Brazilian metropolitan area.
... The burden of those diseases in developing countries is still relevant (Knobel et al. 2005) and the success in the promotion of public health is based on sanitary measures, including the control of the free-ranging dogs' population (Belo et al. 2015). In this context, public health managers should base actions on reliable estimates about parameters related to the life dynamic of free-ranging dogs (Smith et al. 2019). ...
Populations of free-ranging dogs are still a matter of concern in developing countries. The presence of stray dogs is associated with environmental and public health consequences such as the spread of zoonotic diseases. Therefore, public health managers base the promotion of public health on sanitary measures, including the control of the free-ranging dogs’ population. In this context, it is necessary to evaluate the free-ranging dogs’ life dynamics, taking into account all characteristics of the data, including long-term survival. In long-term studies, some causes of censoring are generally falsely assumed to be independent, leading to bias neglected. Therefore, we propose a likelihood-based approach for long-term clustered survival data, which is suitable to accommodate the dependent censoring. The association between lifetimes and dependent censoring is accommodated through the conditional approach of the frailty models. The marginal distributions can be adjusted assuming Weibull or piecewise exponential distributions, respectively. A Monte Carlo Expectation–Maximization algorithm is developed to estimate the proposed estimators. The simulation study results show a small relative bias and coverage probability near to the nominal level, indicating that the proposed approach works well. Moreover, the model identifiability is assured once data has a cluster structure. Finally, we analyze the survival times of free-ranging dogs from the West Bengal, India, collected between 2010 to 2015, and conclude that survival time (death due to natural cause) is negatively correlated to dependent censoring (missing cause).
... Sterilisation programmes are an effective tool for controlling street dog populations. High densities of free roaming or street dogs increases the risk of human dog bites, zoonotic disease transmission, and poorer animal welfare for both domestic and wild animals [10]. ...
Street dogs survive on food handouts provided by individuals, or the wider community yet typically receive limited to no veterinary care. They can also carry a variety of zoonotic diseases such as rabies, posing a significant risk to human and dog population health. Dog sterilisation is one of the most humane and effective methods available to control street dog populations. Dog sterilisation programmes, particularly those operating at a large-scale, often face a variety of challenges including limited resources, staffing, and less-than-ideal facilities. Recordkeeping is often a challenge as well, which can complicate the return of a sterilised dog to their location of capture. Street dogs are territorial, and the return of a dog to an incorrect location is fraught with various welfare issues, as well as an increased risk of postoperative complications, including death. Humane Society International developed a mobile phone-based application called ‘HSIApps’ drawing on years of field experience and data collection in street dog location recording, as well as clinical and postoperative treatment. HSIApps facilitates the return of dogs back to their exact captured location, which ensures dog welfare, and generates reports of a variety of useful data variables to maximise the efficacy and reliability of sterilisation programmes.
... The management methods under investigation included sheltering, culling, CNR, and responsible ownership. To reflect that management practices often involve combinations of management methods 27 , we also investigated combined CNR and sheltering, and combined CNR and responsible ownership. ...
... Interventions. Six intervention scenarios were modelled ( Table 2): sheltering; culling; CNR; responsible ownership; combined CNR and responsible ownership; and combined CNR and sheltering, representing interventions feasibly applied and often reported 27 . Table 2 outlines the equations describing each intervention. ...
... For example, combined CNR and culling may be challenging to apply in practice, as neutered dogs would need to be recognised and not culled to ensure efforts were not wasted. In this study, we only investigated methods that would feasibly be applied and have often been reported 27 . ...
Free-roaming dogs can present significant challenges to public health, wildlife conservation, and livestock production. Free-roaming dogs may also experience poor health and welfare. Dog population management is widely conducted to mitigate these issues. To ensure efficient use of resources, it is critical that effective, cost-efficient, and high-welfare strategies are identified. The dog population comprises distinct subpopulations characterised by their restriction status and level of ownership, but the assessment of dog population management often fails to consider the impact of the interaction between subpopulations on management success. We present a system dynamics model that incorporates an interactive and dynamic system of dog subpopulations. Methods incorporating both fertility control and responsible ownership interventions (leading to a reduction in abandonment and roaming of owned dogs, and an increase in shelter adoptions) have the greatest potential to reduce free-roaming dog population sizes over longer periods of time, whilst being cost-effective and improving overall welfare. We suggest that future management should be applied at high levels of coverage and should target all sources of population increase, such as abandonment, births, and owners of free-roaming dogs, to ensure effective and cost-efficient reduction in free-roaming dog numbers.
... The worldwide dog population is estimated to be over 500 million (WHO-WSPA 1990). According to other sources, the population of dogs on the world map would be around 700 million, of which around 75% are classified as stray dogs (Smith et al 2019). Dogs are used for hunting, to protect property, to reduce human-wildlife conflicts, as pets or utility animals, and for entertainment (Khan 2009). ...
The paper analyzes aspects regarding the morphology of stray dogs in the areas bordering the municipality of Suceava and nearby towns. The study is located on the hunting funds, which are administered by the "Ștefan cel Mare" University in Suceava. Between October 2017 and April 2022, the behavior and type of food consumed by stray dogs captured or found dead on the outskirts of cities in the analyzed area were analyzed. The capture of stray dogs is part of the duties of the specialized technical staff in charge of the protection of game and the protection of hunting funds according to the Law on hunting and the protection of hunting funds no. 407/2006. The research was based on the opportunity to conduct an objective study on the degree of feralization of stray dogs and their influence on wild animals. In this sense, the distribution and density of dogs in the open field was established and their movement routes were followed. Areas where packs of completely wild dogs are camped have also been identified. Along with the patrols and guarding to protect the game, permanent observations were made on the individual and social behavior of the dogs. Thus, 183 stray dogs were captured or found dead and the main morphological parameters such as trunk length, chest circumference and weight were analyzed. At the same time, the morphological sizes of a number of 115 stray dogs from the paddock managed by Suceava City Hall were recorded.
