ICAWC 2013 - Stray Dog Ecology Back to Basics - Nathalie Klinge

Nathalie Klinge

Barcelona October 15th 2013

• problem analyses

• terminology

• influences on dog populations

• failing policies

• the solution

• “selling” the solution

Problem analyses

Practical

• road accidents

• nuisance (noise and

faeces)

• zoonoses

• injuries and fear by

aggressive behaviour

• damage to wildlife and

livestock

Moral

• malnutrition

• diseases

• injuries (road accidents

and fights)

• abuse by humans

• cruel stray control

measures

• inhabitants and tourists

don’t like the sight of

hungry or dead dogs

Terminology

classification of dog restriction dependency reproduction survival

rate rate

1 free roaming dog with owner semi fully high high

2 abandoned dog none semi medium low

3 community dog none semi high high

4 feral dog none semi low low

5 family dog fully fully low high

Terminology

• (stray dog) ecology:

science and part of biology

• population ecology:

study of dynamics of

species populations and

interaction with the

environment

Influences on dog

populations

• carrying capacity

• human population

• climate

• diseases

Carrying capacity

• death rate and birth rate become

equal

• upper limit at which population

growth levels off

• availability of resources

Page 9 ”Guidelines for dog population management” WHO/WSPA 1990

Carrying capacity

Birth

Migration

(Un)natural death

Carrying capacity

Birth

Migration

(Un)natural death

Euthanasia

Shelter

International

adoption

Dumping

elsewhere

Carrying capacity

Birth

Migration

(Un)natural death

Carrying capacity

Birth

Migration

(Un)natural death

• ignore

• cull

• catch and kill

• catch and kennel

• scattered neuter and return

programs

• remove food sources

Failing policies

• aimed at the wrong group of dogs

• not all dogs can be caught

• after 7 years of stringent killing

reduction is only 32,5 % or less

Catch and kill policy fails

Date killed Total Dogs Adults Adults Puppies Puppies Adults killed

Adults killed Adults killed Adults killed

Surviving fertile

Surviving fertile

Surviving Surviving

Before breeding

Before breeding

After breeding

After breeding

after 38% killed

after 38% killed

after 38% killed

after 38% killed

Males Females Males Females Males Females Males Females

1-7-2010 9.000 2.441 2.441 3.027 3.027 1.496 1.496 1.496 1.496

1-1-2011 7.944 2.391 2.391 2.965 2.965 1.465 1.465 1.465 1.465

1-7-2011 7.783 2.343 2.343 2.905 2.905 1.435 1.435 1.435 1.435

1-1-2012 7.625 2.295 2.295 2.846 2.846 1.406 1.406 1.406 1.406

1-7-2012 7.470 2.248 2.248 2.788 2.788 1.377 1.377 1.377 1.377

1-1-2013 7.318 2.203 2.203 2.731 2.731 1.349 1.349 1.349 1.349

1-7-2013 7.169 2.158 2.158 2.676 2.676 1.322 1.322 1.322 1.322

1-1-2014 7.024 2.114 2.114 2.621 2.621 1.295 1.295 1.295 1.295

1-7-2014 6.881 2.071 2.071 2.568 2.568 1.269 1.269 1.269 1.269

1-1-2015 6.741 2.029 2.029 2.516 2.516 1.243 1.243 1.243 1.243

1-7-2015 6.604 1.988 1.988 2.465 2.465 1.218 1.218 1.218 1.218

1-1-2016 6.470 1.947 1.947 2.415 2.415 1.193 1.193 1.193 1.193

1-7-2016 6.338 1.908 1.908 2.366 2.366 1.169 1.169 1.169 1.169

1-1-2017 6.210 1.869 1.869 2.318 2.318 1.145 1.145 1.145 1.145

1-7-2017 6.083 1.831 1.831 2.271 2.271 1.122 1.122 1.122 1.122

Dog population reduction if 76% killed every 6

months in Sofia with 9,000 “stray dogs”

Censuses

Romania Greece Bulgaria Malta

Bucharest Oradea Rhodes Sofia Malta & Gozo

2009 2003 2007 2009 2009

Square kilometers 513,00 111,00 19,50 1.310,00 313,00

Inhabitants 1.944.000,00 210.000,00 54.000,00 1.400.000,00 419.000,00

Numb. of free roam. dogs 100.000,00 7.000,00 566,00 9.000,00 25.000,00

Dogs per square km 194,93 63,06 29,03 6,87 79,87

Dogs per inhabitant 0,05 0,03 0,01 0,006 0,06

• aimed at the wrong group of dogs

• not all dogs can be caught

• after 7 years of stringent killing

reduction is only 32,5 % or less

• never ending, therefore very costly

• number returns to carrying capacity

• increased migration = increased

nuisance and spreading of diseases

• inhumane

• not accepted by all citizens

Catch and kill policy fails

• complaints

• jobs at stake

• afraid of changes

Why do (local) governments

continue to kill ?

Bucharest

In 3 years the authorities killed

100,000

free roaming dogs

Cost: € 5 million

After 3 years number of free roaming

dogs still 100,000.

• aimed at the wrong group of dogs

• not all dogs can be caught

• overcrowded shelters

Catch and kennel policy fails

• aimed at the wrong group of dogs

• not all dogs can be caught

• overcrowded shelters

• inhumane

• extremely costly

• corruption sensitive

• never ending

• number returns to carrying capacity

• increased migration = increased

nuisance and increased spreading of

diseases

Catch and kennel policy fails

• implementation animal welfare act

• complaints

• jobs at stake

• afraid of changes

• profitable

Why do (local) governments

continue to kennel

(warehouse) dogs?

• no visible reduction in number of

free roaming dogs

Scattered neuter and return

programs fail

• humane

• satisfying animal lovers

• satisfying part of the public

• lack of knowledge

• lack of budget

• implementation animal welfare act

• jobs at stake

• profitable

Why do (local) governments

and NGO’s continue scattered

n&r programs?

• no evidence in practice neuter and

return works

• easy excuse for politicians to revert

to old policies

• citizens not convinced

• politicians not convinced

• NGO’s look incompetent

• new programs hard to introduce

Effects of failing neuter and

return programs

• large scale & long term neuter and

return programs (national or in 1

city)

• education

• information

• promotion by government

The solution

• offering plan for n&r program − cost analyses killing versus n&r

− population decline analyses killing

versus n&r

• public/private partnership

“Selling” the solution

Cost of n&r versus catch & kill

Based on average dog of 20 kg

Catch & kill n&r

Tranquillising € 3,81

Food ( 14 days) € 5,00

Food (5 days) € 1,78

Euthanasia solution € 3,47

Incineration body € 10,00

Anaesthetics € 1,01 € 1,01

Collecting/catching NGO € 0,00

Sutures/pain relief € 4,17

Total excl. V.A.T. € 23,29 € 6,96

• vet’s salaries

• other personnel salaries

• fuel costs

• general overheads

Are the same

Cost of n&r versus catch & kill

• year 1: € 1,00 per citizen

• year 2: € 0,75 per citizen

• year 3 + 4: € 0,60 per citizen

• year 5: € 0,50 per citizen

• year 6: € 0,40 per citizen

• year 7 + 8: € 0,30 per citizen

• year 9 + 10: € 0,20 per citizen

for a dog warden &

rehoming service

Cost of n&r estimated in

Romania

• 200,000 people

• 8,000 dogs

• 10 year period

€ 995,000.-

Total cost for n&r in a town

with:

• 200,000 people

• 8,000 dogs

• 10 year period

• catch & kill 25% of dog population

each year

Total cost for catch & kill in

town with:

• year 1: € 225,000.- *

• year 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10:

€ 175,000.-

Total € 1,800,000.-

Achievements:

• no long term reduction

• dog population is around 6,000

* Cost in 1st year higher for purchase of equipment and vehicles

Total cost for catch & kill

Thank you for your attention

barkbark@planet.nl

Photos with the courtesy of www.HAYTAP.org