A Review and Analysis of the National Dog Population Management Program in Chile

Abstract

Free-roaming dogs are a worldwide problem, with Chile having some of the highest human-to-dog ratios in the world. In 2017, Law 21.020 was promulgated and the federal government developed a national responsible pet ownership program. The objectives of this article are to describe and discuss the dog-related components of the program, to design a tool for determining human-to-dog ratios in Chile, and to make recommendations to managers to improve the program outcomes. The overarching goal of the program was to mitigate the conflict between humans and dogs, but many of the interventions were animal-focused and the indicators did not consider the perception of the Chilean public. Using human density data and known dog populations, we found that as the human density increased, there were fewer dogs per person. Veterinary services and sterilizations were the mainstay of the program and were offered for free to citizens. Education was offered to all ages through public events, as well as municipality and organization activities. The identification of dogs was obligatory for dog owners. Enforcement was not included in the program. The recommendations are to conduct preintervention baseline data collections and to tailor interventions and indicators appropriately; to use dog population size estimates determined at the local level rather than a country-wide estimate; to replace free veterinary services with low-cost sterilization campaigns; to create sustainable plans for education; and to create enforcement teams in communities.

International perceptions of animals and the importance of their welfare

“…Considering dogs, Chile passed the Law on Responsible Pet Ownership (Law 21.020) in 2017 that recognizes 'pets' as sentient beings that require certain standards of care and management, in place of their previous status as 'property'. The government then developed a companion animal program with significant public funding, with many public municipalities participating in the program throughout the country (Garde et al, 2022). These reformative changes resulted from public pressure, placing the findings of our study in context.…”

Legal epidemiology of paediatric dog bite injuries

“…Furthermore, other countries have found that issuing violation notices to dog owners and legislating dog control may decrease the rate of dog bite injuries. However, researchers noted similar data collection and enforcement challenges as in this project 30 38–40…”

Study of dog control strategies

“…Overall resourcing throughout the sector is very limited, with many TAs having only one or two staff members operating AMS for the whole region, despite expectations to cover large geographical areas, manage complex social situations and negotiate both national and local legislature. Other Canadian and Chilean researchers have found that animal control officers were often marginalised and poorly resourced, despite their significant role in law enforcement as both public health and animal welfare advocates 16 51…”

“…One Canadian study investigated the relationship between dog control and injury rates, and found while there was no relationship between resourcing or BSL and injury rates, that ticketing may reduce injuries with very active enforcement 14. Available NZ and Chilean dog control reports do not explore the relationship with injury 15 16…”