Demography of owned dogs across an East African continuum of high-low human density

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cg.authorship.typesCGIAR and advanced research instituteen
cg.contributor.affiliationInternational Livestock Research Instituteen
cg.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Liverpoolen
cg.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Edinburghen
cg.contributor.donorFederal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germanyen
cg.contributor.donorCGIAR Trust Funden
cg.contributor.initiativeOne Health
cg.coverage.countryKenya
cg.coverage.iso3166-alpha2KE
cg.coverage.regionAfrica
cg.coverage.regionEastern Africa
cg.creator.identifierMaurice Murungi: 0000-0001-6467-4352
cg.creator.identifierLian Thomas: 0000-0001-8447-1210
cg.creator.identifierNicholas Bor: 0009-0001-7828-6534
cg.creator.identifierPeterkin Munywoki: 0009-0009-4320-7179
cg.creator.identifierCamille Glazer: 0000-0001-6873-7736
cg.creator.identifierDishon Muloi: 0000-0002-6236-2280
cg.creator.identifierEric M. Fèvre: 0000-0001-8931-4986
cg.howPublishedFormally Publisheden
cg.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106518en
cg.isijournalISI Journalen
cg.issn0167-5877en
cg.journalPreventive Veterinary Medicineen
cg.reviewStatusPeer Reviewen
cg.subject.actionAreaResilient Agrifood Systems
cg.subject.ilriDISEASE CONTROLen
cg.subject.ilriZOONOTIC DISEASESen
cg.subject.impactAreaNutrition, health and food security
cg.subject.sdgSDG 3 - Good health and well-beingen
cg.volume239en
dc.contributor.authorMurungi, Maurice K.en
dc.contributor.authorThomas, Lian F.en
dc.contributor.authorBor, Nicholasen
dc.contributor.authorMasaku, Ianen
dc.contributor.authorAnyango, Mercyen
dc.contributor.authorMunywoki, Peterkin N.en
dc.contributor.authorGlazer, Camilleen
dc.contributor.authorMuloi, Dishon M.en
dc.contributor.authorFèvre, Eric M.en
dc.date.accessioned2025-03-25T04:32:25Zen
dc.date.available2025-03-25T04:32:25Zen
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/173828
dc.titleDemography of owned dogs across an East African continuum of high-low human densityen
dcterms.abstractUnderstanding the demographics of domestic dogs is essential for effective disease control strategies, particularly in areas where dogs are key reservoirs of diseases such as rabies. In this study, conducted in a region proximate to Nairobi, Kenya, we aimed to address the lack of current data on dog demographics. This area spans a high-to-low human density continuum, providing a unique setting for examining the relationship between human and dog populations. We used a household (HH) survey approach, stratifying the area by human population density and selecting sub-locations for every 10th percentile of the population density stratum. Households were randomly selected across the strata to estimate the owned dog population, which was then extrapolated to the county level. Additionally, a negative binomial regression model was used to analyse the factors influencing the number of dogs owned by households. We found a human-to-owned dog ratio of 3.3:1, indicating an estimated owned dog population of 421,079 (95% CI: 408,702–424,950) in a county with 1,414,022 humans in the last census, with 65% of the households owning a mean of 2.45 dogs. Multivariable analysis revealed that the presence of a female dog had the strongest association with owning more dogs (OR = 3.08, CI: 2.71 - 3.50). Wealthier households (OR = 1.67, 95% CI: 1.12–2.49), those keeping livestock (OR = 1.67, 95% CI: 1.36–2.02), and larger households (OR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.03–1.07) were significantly more likely to own more dogs. These findings suggest that actual human-dog ratios may be higher than estimated in sub-Saharan Africa. Accurate dog demographic data is important for dog-mediated disease and conditions control strategies due to its important logistical and financial implications for implementing targeted control initiatives to improve public health and animal welfare.en
dcterms.accessRightsOpen Access
dcterms.audienceAcademicsen
dcterms.audienceScientistsen
dcterms.audienceCGIARen
dcterms.audienceDonorsen
dcterms.available2025-03-24
dcterms.bibliographicCitationMurungi, M.K., Thomas, L.F., Bor, N., Masaku, I., Anyango, M., Munywoki, P.N., Glazer, C., Muloi, D.M. and Fèvre, E.M. 2025. Demography of owned dogs across an East African continuum of high-low human density. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 239: 106518.en
dcterms.extent106518en
dcterms.issued2025-06
dcterms.languageen
dcterms.licenseCC-BY-4.0
dcterms.publisherElsevieren
dcterms.subjectdisease controlen
dcterms.subjectrabiesen
dcterms.subjectzoonosesen
dcterms.typeJournal Article

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