A Review and Analysis of the National Dog Population Management Program in Chile
Open Access
- 19 January 2022
- Vol. 12 (3), 228
- https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12030228
Abstract
Free-roaming dogs are a worldwide problem, with Chile having some of the highest human-to-dog ratios in the world. In 2017, Law 21.020 was promulgated and the federal government developed a national responsible pet ownership program. The objectives of this article are to describe and discuss the dog-related components of the program, to design a tool for determining human-to-dog ratios in Chile, and to make recommendations to managers to improve the program outcomes. The overarching goal of the program was to mitigate the conflict between humans and dogs, but many of the interventions were animal-focused and the indicators did not consider the perception of the Chilean public. Using human density data and known dog populations, we found that as the human density increased, there were fewer dogs per person. Veterinary services and sterilizations were the mainstay of the program and were offered for free to citizens. Education was offered to all ages through public events, as well as municipality and organization activities. The identification of dogs was obligatory for dog owners. Enforcement was not included in the program. The recommendations are to conduct preintervention baseline data collections and to tailor interventions and indicators appropriately; to use dog population size estimates determined at the local level rather than a country-wide estimate; to replace free veterinary services with low-cost sterilization campaigns; to create sustainable plans for education; and to create enforcement teams in communities.Keywords
This publication has 44 references indexed in Scilit:
- Review of the Risks of Some Canine Zoonoses from Free-Roaming Dogs in the Post-Disaster Setting of Latin AmericaAnimals, 2013
- Free-roaming dog control among OIE-member countriesPreventive Veterinary Medicine, 2010
- Evaluating mortality sources for the Vulnerable pudu Pudu puda in Chile: implications for the conservation of a threatened deerOryx, 2009
- Surveillance System for Infectious Diseases of Pets, Santiago, ChileEmerging Infectious Diseases, 2009
- Rabies‐vaccination Coverage and Profiles of the Owned‐dog Population in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, BoliviaZoonoses and Public Health, 2008
- Analysis of programs to reduce overpopulation of companion animals: Do adoption and low-cost spay/neuter programs merely cause substitution of sources?Ecological Economics, 2007
- Dimensionamento da população de cães e gatos do interior do Estado de São PauloRevista de Saúde Pública, 2005
- Dog bites to humans—demography, epidemiology, injury, and riskJournal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 2001
- Conservation status, rarity, and geographic priorities for conservation of Chilean mammals: an assessmentBiological Conservation, 1999
- Domestic Animal Rabies Control: An OverviewClinical Infectious Diseases, 1988