Monitoring techniques in the capture and adoption of dogs and cats

Abstract

The continuous improvement of the information systems of organizations that work toward the control of stray dog and cat populations facilitates the implementation of programmes aimed at reducing the number of animals that roam free in public streets. This study investigated the fate of animals in a Brazilian zoonosis control centre (ZCC) with special reference to euthanasia and adoption. Techniques were applied to visualize the spatial distribution of stray dogs and cats as well as that of the people who adopt these animals. Ripley’s K function was used with a Euclidean distance graph to detect the distribution patterns involved. An estimate of the kernel density was used to allow assessment of the spatial distribution of the phenomenon studied. The results show that the distribution of the captured animals, and that of the people who adopted them, form spatial clusters (P=0.01). Most of the animals were captured near the premises of the ZCC and near the downtown area. Factors such as the abandonment of animals near animal control agencies and the availability of food in these areas could play a role for this outcome. The awareness of the people who live in places where there is a greater number of stray animals and the simultaneous presence of an urban population may explain the concentration of adoptions in these areas. The results may contribute to the implementation of improved measures for the treatment of stray animals.