Les hommes ont oublié cette vérité. Mais tu ne dois pas l'oublier, dit le renard. Tu deviens responsable pour toujours de ce que tu as apprivoisé.
Le Petit Prince, chap. 21

Thursday 11 June 2015

Stray Dog Control and Zoonotic Disease Prevention in Grenada

Bidaisee, S. (2015). Stray Dog Control and Zoonotic Disease Prevention in Grenada. In 143rd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (October 31-November 4, 2015). APHA.

Introduction: Grenada, a small island in the Eastern Caribbean, is home to a significant population of stray dogs. Stray dogs pose a serious public health risk, as they are associated with an increased prevalence of zoonotic disease. The objective of this study was to evaluate Grenada’s stray dog control practices.

Methodology: Mixed methods approach utilizing secondaty quantitative data analysis of available data on registration/vaccination rates, number of dogs captured and outcome of dog captures for the years 2008-2012 and qualitative enquiry utilizing Interviews with agencies involved with dog population control. A document review was also conducted to compared for similarities and differences between the ‘Dogs (Registration and Control)’ Act 24 found in Laws of Grenada 2002 and World Organisation for Animal Health’s (OIE) ‘Guidelines on stray dog population control.

Results: There was a decrease in the number of dogs registered/vaccinated between 2008 and 2012. Meanwhile there was an increase in both dogs captured and dog related complaints. The majority of dogs captured by the SDCP control officers were euthanized, while a small number were adopted out from the SDCP facility or from the GSPCA kennel, some were returned to the owner, and a small number died while held in the SDCP facility. Interview data recommended that integration among stakeholders and increased access to the program's services in rural communities is needed. Documents demonstrated that the legislative Act provided adequate framework for stray dog control

Conclusion: Expansion of Stray Dog Control Program services is needed to reduce free-roaming dogs in public places and disease risk to humans.

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