Factors associated with adherence to the principles of responsible companion animal guardianship in a municipality in southeastern Brazil.

Responsible companion animal guardianship (RCAG) covers aspects that are relevant to both animal and human health. Understanding the factors associated with adherence to RCAG principles can guide accountability, animal welfare and disease control. The present observational study describes the level of adherence to RCAG by guardians living in a medium-sized Brazilian municipality and identifies the factors associated with inadequate guardianship.

The Influence of Community Feeders and Commercial Food Outlets on the Spatial Distribution of Free-Roaming Dogs-A Photographic Capture and Recapture Study.

Understanding the distribution of dogs in the environment is relevant for establishing human and animal health actions. In the present study, we analyzed the influence of community feeders and commercial food outlets on the spatial distribution of free-roaming dogs in an urban area of a municipality in Southeast Brazil. The dogs were identified via photographic capture and recapture performed over five sampling efforts.

The association between non-permanence of dogs in households and non-compliance with the principles of responsible animal guardianship: A survey in a medium-sized city in Brazil.

The permanence of a dog in a household is relevant in terms of public health and animal welfare because it implies that the animal is receiving better care and is unlikely to be abandoned. We have performed a survey in a medium-sized city in southeastern Brazil in order to identify predictors associated with the non-permanence of dogs in households as determined one year after the first visit. During the first of two visits to randomly selected domiciles, guardians were asked to complete a structured questionnaire regarding the traits and history of each dog in the household, features of the domicile, characteristics of the guardian and adherence to the principles of responsible companion animal guardianship (RCAG).

Responsible companion animal guardianship is associated with canine visceral leishmaniasis: an analytical cross-sectional survey in an urban area of southeastern Brazil.

Background: Responsible companion animal guardianship (RCAG) comprises a set of concepts involving activities, behavior and care that guardians must provide to ensure the welfare of their animals. When such principles are disregarded, the risk of animals developing zoonotic diseases, such as canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL), increases. This disease is a public health problem in many urban settings in Brazil because dogs are the main reservoirs of Leishmania and are involved in the transmission of the parasites to humans.