Demography and Determinants of Dog and Cat Ownership in Three Towns of West Shoa Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

BackgroundThe dog and cat population data is generally scarce in developing countries due to the absence of surveys. The demography of owned dogs and cats, and the associated ownership characteristics, are essential for effective planning and control of the pet population and zoonosis. The present study was conducted in three towns of West Shoa Zone of Ethiopia with the objectives of assessing demographic characteristics of owned dogs and cats and determinants of ownership. MethodsA cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was designed and administered to households to collect data on the demography and determinates of dog and cat ownerships. Six hundred ten households, consisting of 305 in Ambo, 182 in Bako and 123 in Gojo towns, were interviewed. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the association of factors with dog and cat ownership. ResultsAbout 65.1% (95% CI: 62.12 – 69.84%) of the householders own dogs, 39.2% (95% CI: 35.83 – 43.81%) own cats, and 30.6% (95% CI: 27.43 – 34.99%) own both. The human to owned-dog ratio was 6.2:1, and human to owned-cat ratio was 10.1:1. There were more male dogs (72.1%) and more female cats (59.7%). The male to female sex ratio was estimated at 2.70:1 for the dog while 0.68:1 for cats. About 37.5% of the owned dogs were indoor, and 62.5% have access to the outside. Dogs and cats were acquired as a gift from families, neighbors, and friends. The identified reason for not owning dogs or cats were fear of zoonosis, dislike, no time to devote, benefit not realized, shortage of finance, lack of private houses and shortage of dogs and cats. Logistic regression analysis identified study town, community type, the gender of head of household, ownership of other domestic animals as determinants for both dog and cat ownership. Besides, possessing dogs was significantly associated with cat ownership. ConclusionData on dog and cat ownership status is important for the provision of veterinary services, pet population control and for quantifying risks associated with dog and cat ownership and control of dog/cut borne zoonosis.