Global Perspectives on Rabies Control and Elimination: A Scoping Review of Dog Owners’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices

Abstract

Rabies is a fatal but entirely vaccine-preventable disease, with the highest risk in areas where free-roaming domestic dogs are prevalent. Understanding dog owners’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) is crucial for shaping effective rabies control strategies. This scoping review aimed to synthesize global evidence from studies evaluating dog owners’ KAP to identify behavioral factors relevant to rabies prevention and control. A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, covering the period from 2012 to 2025. Seventy full-text articles were included based on predefined criteria. The findings reveal substantial gaps in dog owners’ knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors regarding rabies prevention. While general awareness of rabies is high among dog owners, their knowledge about transmission, clinical signs, and the fatal nature of the disease is inconsistent, with significant variability across studies. The vaccination uptake also varied widely across studies, ranging from less than 1% to over 90%, with no study reporting full coverage. Furthermore, a strong positive correlation was found between vaccination practice and the awareness of vaccine benefits (r = 0.69, p = 0.004). Common barriers to vaccination include lack of information, vaccine accessibility, distance to clinics, and personal constraints. These insights underscore the importance of early and targeted communication about vaccination campaigns. Future research should focus on periodically evaluating KAP before and after interventions to better inform rabies control efforts.