ICAWC 2013 Barcelona, Spain - Nathalie Klinge's presentation on Stray Dog Ecology Back to Basics

1. Nathalie Klinge
Barcelona October 15th 2013

2. •
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•
•
•
•
problem analyses
terminology
influences on dog populations
failing policies
the solution
“selling” the solution

4. Problem analyses
Practical
Moral
• road accidents
• nuisance (noise and
faeces)
• zoonoses
• injuries and fear by
aggressive behaviour
• damage to wildlife and
livestock
• 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

5. 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

6. Terminology
• (stray dog) ecology:
science and part of biology
• population ecology:
study of dynamics of
species populations and
interaction with the
environment

7. Influences on dog
populations
•
•
•
•
carrying capacity
human population
climate
diseases

8. 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

9. Carrying capacity
(Un)natural death
Birth
Migration

10. Carrying capacity
(Un)natural death
Birth
International
adoption
Euthanasia
Shelter
Migration
Dumping
elsewhere

11. Carrying capacity
(Un)natural death
Birth
Migration

12. Carrying capacity
(Un)natural death
Birth
Migration

13. Failing policies
•
•
•
•
•
ignore
cull
catch and kill
catch and kennel
scattered neuter and return
programs
• remove food sources

14. Catch and kill policy fails
• 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

15. Dog population reduction if 76% killed every 6
months in Sofia with 9,000 “stray dogs”
Date killed
Total Dogs
Adults
Adults
Puppies
Puppies
Adults
killed
Before
breeding
Adults killed
Adults killed
Adults killed
Surviving
fertile
Surviving
fertile
Surviving
Surviving
Before
breeding
After
breeding
After
breeding
after 38%
killed
Males
after 38%
killed
Females
after 38%
killed
Males
after 38%
killed
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

16. Censuses
Romania
Bucharest
2009
Square kilometers
513,00
Inhabitants
1.944.000,00
Numb. of free roam. dogs 100.000,00
Dogs per square km
194,93
Dogs per inhabitant
0,05
Oradea
2003
111,00
210.000,00
7.000,00
63,06
0,03
Greece
Rhodes
2007
Bulgaria
Sofia
2009
19,50
1.310,00
54.000,00 1.400.000,00
566,00
9.000,00
29,03
6,87
0,01
0,006
Malta
Malta & Gozo
2009
313,00
419.000,00
25.000,00
79,87
0,06

17. Catch and kill policy fails
• 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

18. Why do (local) governments
continue to kill ?
• complaints
• jobs at stake
• afraid of changes

19. 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.

20. Catch and kennel policy fails
• aimed at the wrong group of dogs
• not all dogs can be caught
• overcrowded shelters

21. 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

22. Why do (local) governments
continue to kennel
(warehouse) dogs?
•
•
•
•
•
implementation animal welfare act
complaints
jobs at stake
afraid of changes
profitable

23. Scattered neuter and return
programs fail
• no visible reduction in number of
free roaming dogs

24. Why do (local) governments
and NGO’s continue scattered
n&r programs?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
humane
satisfying animal lovers
satisfying part of the public
lack of knowledge
lack of budget
implementation animal welfare act
jobs at stake
profitable

25. Effects of failing neuter and
return 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

26. The solution
• large scale & long term neuter and
return programs (national or in 1
city)
• education
• information
• promotion by government

27. “Selling” the solution
• offering plan for n&r program
− cost analyses killing versus n&r
− population decline analyses killing
versus n&r
• public/private partnership

28. Cost of n&r versus catch & kill
Based on average dog of 20 kg
Tranquillising
Food ( 14 days)
Food (5 days)
Euthanasia solution
Incineration body
Anaesthetics
Collecting/catching NGO
Sutures/pain relief
Total excl. V.A.T.
Catch & kill
€ 3,81
€ 5,00
n&r
€ 1,78
€ 3,47
€ 10,00
€ 1,01
€ 23,29
€ 1,01
€ 0,00
€ 4,17
€ 6,96

29. Cost of n&r versus catch & kill
•
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•
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vet’s salaries
other personnel salaries
fuel costs
general overheads
Are the same

30. Cost of n&r estimated in
Romania
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year 1:
year 2:
year 3 + 4:
year 5:
year 6:
year 7 + 8:
year 9 + 10:
€ 1,00 per citizen
€ 0,75 per citizen
€ 0,60 per citizen
€ 0,50 per citizen
€ 0,40 per citizen
€ 0,30 per citizen
€ 0,20 per citizen
for a dog warden &
rehoming service

31. Total cost for n&r in a town
with:
• 200,000 people
• 8,000 dogs
• 10 year period
€ 995,000.-

32. Total cost for catch & kill in
town with:
•
•
•
•
200,000 people
8,000 dogs
10 year period
catch & kill 25% of dog population
each year

33. Total cost for catch & kill
• 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

34. Thank you for your attention
Photos with the courtesy of www.HAYTAP.org
barkbark@planet.nl