Nov 15, 2021 WellBeing International’s Global Dog Campaign to End Dog Homelessness

As the world begins to emerge from the pandemic, WellBeing International wants to refocus its efforts on the global concerns of the world’s homeless dog population.  We invite interested readers to join us on Tuesday (November 30) at noon (EST) for a free webinar reviewing our Global Dog Campaign and a Q&A regarding our proposed vision to end dog homelessness worldwide.  Please click here for more information and to register. The webinar will introduce the flagship partners and global team of experts.  Please also take the opportunity to enjoy a sneak preview of our new Global Dog Campaign.

The Challenge 

Around 800 million dogs (range 700 million to 1 billion) share our world, about 40% of whom are “homeless.” Dog homelessness is a surprisingly challenging term to define.  It turns out many dogs observed on the streets may be claimed by a particular household.  For the Global Dog Campaign, WBI defines homeless dogs as ones that spend most or all of their time on the streets and receive little to no health care.  “Homeless” dogs, also often called street dogs, experience high incidences of disease and injury, and their lives are much shorter than those of pet (“homed”) dogs. Approximately 75% of puppies born to homeless dogs die before they are a year old. Communities may also be affected adversely by homeless dogs. Challenges include dog bites, rabies, other diseases, and harassment of people, domestic animals, and wildlife.  

The Solution 

Solving the challenges of homeless dogs (for dogs, people, and the environment) requires a much deeper understanding of dog demographics and identifying effective approaches that reduce suffering and increase overall well-being in the communities. It also requires greater cooperation among the organizations seeking to develop humane solutions. While a growing number of local, national, and international animal organizations are providing direct care for both homeless and homed dogs (such as sterilization and vaccination services), almost no organization has been tracking these efforts or their impacts. As a result, we do not know definitively what is working or is the most cost-effective.  

The Covid pandemic and the latest global Conference of Parties on climate change (CoP26) that just ended in Glasgow illustrate the importance of gathering and analyzing data in addressing significant global challenges. Data gathering and analysis are essential for most public policy and public health areas and not just the recent challenges like the worldwide pandemic or global warming, which are currently in the news.  Likewise, data gathering is essential for dog management and the public health challenges (rabies and dog bites) associated with the symbiotic human relationship with dogs.  WellBeing International’s Global Dog Campaign emphasizes the importance of data gathering and analysis and seeks to implement hands-on dog management approaches that promise to deliver better health and welfare for people, animals, and the environment.   

The Webinar  

• Introduction:  
  • Eric Bernthal – WBI Board Member;  
  • Kathleen Rowan – WBI CEO & Moderator. 
• Historical Background  
  • Dr. S. Chinny Krishna  – Development of Animal Birth Control (ABC) and Dog Management in India 
  • Dr. Andrew Rowan – International Perspective on Global Dogs and US History of Homeless Dog Management 
• Flagship Partners  
  • Afghanistan: Dr. Jalil Mohammadzai, Mayhew Afghanistan  
  • Costa Rica: Lilian Schnog, Asociación Humanitaria para la Protección Animal (AHPPA)  
  • India: Dr. S. Chinny Krishna, Blue Cross of India 
• Data Collection & Analysis and Storage  
  • Dr. John Boone – Designing & Conducting Dog Surveys   
  • Dr. Tyler Flockhart – Developing Prediction Models for Dog Populations  
  • Josh Coefer – Data Repository and GIS Tools to Understand Dog Distribution 
  • Rahul Sehgal – Promoting Humane Dog Management to Cities and States
• Communications
  • Laura Gosse – Outreach to Communities via Social Media & Website. 

Please click here for more information and to register to attend this webinar on Tuesday, November 30, 2021.