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[São Paulo Pasteur Institute Technique for estimating a canine population]
Mariana Ruiz de Matos1, Maria Cecília Goi Porto Alves, Maria de Lourdes A B Reichmann
1Superintendência de Controle de Endemias, São Paulo, SP, 01027-000, Brasil.
Cadernos De Saude Publica
|September 24, 2002
Summary
A new method effectively counts and classifies owned and stray dogs using colored collars and trained youth surveyors. This technique provides valuable data on urban canine populations and their owner relationships.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Public Health
- Animal Demography
- Urban Ecology
Context:
- Accurate canine population data is crucial for public health and animal welfare initiatives.
- Existing methods for canine population assessment can be resource-intensive and may lack detailed classification.
- The Pasteur Institute in São Paulo developed a novel technique to address these challenges in Brazil.
Purpose:
- To describe a cost-effective and efficient method for counting and classifying urban canine populations.
- To differentiate dogs based on ownership status and level of confinement using a color-coded collar system.
- To enable rapid data collection by trained, non-specialized personnel.
Summary:
- A household survey identified dog ownership and restriction levels, assigning colored collars accordingly.
- Street surveyors, positioned at intervals, counted and classified dogs by collar color.
- Absence of a collar indicated an ownerless dog; data was collected over one hour in two census tracts.
Impact:
- The technique successfully recorded 498 dogs, classifying 5% as ownerless and unrestricted.
- This method offers a scalable approach for canine population assessment in diverse urban settings.
- It empowers local communities and youth to contribute to vital animal population data collection.