Nathalie Klinge Barcelona October 15th 2013
Aug 23, 2014
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