Publications by authors named "Federico J Villatoro"
Article Synopsis
- Free-ranging dogs pose a significant threat to wildlife, including endangered species, particularly in rural areas of southern Chile where their close human association complicates management efforts.
- Interviews with 166 local residents revealed a strong opposition (98.1%) to lethal control methods for managing free-roaming dogs, with more acceptance for lethal actions against dogs attacking livestock than those targeting wildlife.
- Respondents favored imposing fines on dog owners over killing the dogs and showed more concern for the safety of livestock and humans than for protecting wildlife, indicating a need for tailored management strategies that consider public attitudes and species of concern.
Management strategies for dog populations and their diseases include reproductive control, euthanasia and vaccination, among others. However, the effectiveness of these strategies can be severely affected by human-mediated dog movement. If immigration is important, then the location of origin of dogs imported by humans will be fundamental to define the spatial scales over which population management and research should apply.
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