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The global rise in companion animal populations, particularly dogs and cats, is driven by emotional and social benefits for owners, and their population management is becoming critically important to avoid a plethora of adverse effects on themselves, humans, and wildlife. We estimated the size and density of the owned canine and feline population in Chile and evaluated the status of microchipping, registration, sterilization rates, and the proportion of owned animals that roam unsupervised. A cross-sectional household survey in 36 districts was conducted and standard inferential statistics was employed to analyze differences between cats and dogs, sexes within each species, and between rural and urban areas. Additionally, two negative binomial models with mixed effects were developed to predict the number of dogs and cats per households. Two methods were used to compare population size estimates at the country level, multiplying: (1) the estimated mean number of companion animals per household by the estimated number of households at the country level, and (2) the estimated human:dog and human:cat ratios by the total human population. The study involved 6333 respondents, of which 76% (74% urban; 83% rural) owned companion animals (dogs and/or cats). Individuals in rural multi-person households increase the probability of owning dogs and/or cats. Additionally, women exhibit a greater inclination towards cat and dog ownership compared to men, while those over 30 years old demonstrate lower rates of companion animal ownership in contrast to the 18-30 age group for both species. The overall human:dog and human:cat ratios estimated were 2.7:1, and 6.2:1, respectively. The estimated total number of owned dogs and cats in Chile ranged from 9.6 to 10.7 million, depending on the methodological approach, while national median density of companion animals was 12 dogs per km2 (ranging from 0.02 to 7232) and 5 cats per km2 (ranging from 0.01 to 3242). This nationwide study showed one of the highest percentages of households with companion animals in Latin America and relatively low registration and sterilization rates, highlighting the need to strength long-term public policies to control populations of companion animals and promote responsibility in pet ownership.

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Dogs bring many benefits to our society but, if not properly managed, they can be detrimental for humans, livestock and wildlife. We highlight the increasing problems associated with free-ranging dogs using examples from two regions of the world where this issue is pervasive, India and South America. In these regions, free-ranging dogs spread diseases, injure people, harm biodiversity, and negatively impact human livelihoods. We discuss why mitigating these deleterious effects can be extremely complicated because there are diverse challenges such as: (a) a lack of or inappropriate legislations concerning free-ranging dog management and human-dog interactions, (b) unregulated intentional and unintentional feeding of free-ranging dogs, (c) limitations of animal shelters, (d) non-responsible ownership, and (e) uncontrolled dog populations. As the management of animal species is usually shaped by differing interests, existing policies and regulations, views and social influence of stakeholders, power asymmetries between interested parties is yet another challenge in this regard. We need evidence-based legislations and strong institutions (e.g., public health and conservation institutions) that are capable of implementing governance principles and managing the complexities of this socio-ecological system by taking science-based decisions, and balancing power asymmetries to promote consensus.

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O conhecimento de tutores acerca dos cuidados básicos veterinários como requisito para a guarda responsável de animais de companhia tem sido pouco explorado. Os perfis sócios demográficos estão relacionados ao grau de desenvolvimento de uma população, sendo fator preponderante na maneira como são criados os animais de companhia. O presente trabalho analisou a influência do perfil demográfico e de fatores socioeconômicos de tutores do município de Santana de Parnaíba na guarda responsável de cães e gatos. Foram incluídos 300 tutores (205 de cães e 95 de gatos), que levaram seus animais para mutirões de castração em Santana de Parnaíba entre dezembro de 2018 e janeiro de 2019. O instrumento utilizado foi composto de 38 questões sobre aspectos sócio demográficas, nutricionais, sanitários, comportamentais e de conforto. O escore de guarda responsável permitiu pontuação máxima de 15 pontos, sendo que os tutores de cães apresentam escore de guarda responsável 10% maior que tutores de gatos. A menor renda familiar e do tipo de pet de estimação influenciaram no escore. O presente trabalho mostrou que 79% dos cidadãos de Santana de Parnaíba apresentam escore de guarda responsável entre 10 e 14 pontos, com ótima informação e aplicação dos princípios que promovem a qualidade de vida.(AU)

Owners' knowledge of basic veterinary care as a requirement for the responsible ownership of companion animals has been little explored. Sociodemographic profiles are related to the level of development of a population, being a preponderant factor in the way companion animals are raised. The present work analyzed the influence of the demographic profile and socioeconomic factors of owners in the municipality of Santana de Parnaíba on the responsible ownership of dogs and cats. 300 owners were included (205 of dogs and 95 of cats), who took their animals to castration campaigns in Santana de Parnaíba between December 2018 and January 2019. The instrument used was composed of 38 questions on sociodemographic, nutritional, health aspects, behavioral and comfort. The responsible guardianship score allowed a maximum score of 15 points, with dog owners having a responsible guardianship score 10% higher than cat owners. Lower family income and type of pet influenced the score. The present work showed that 79% of the citizens of Santana de Parnaíba have a responsible custody score between 10 and 14 points, with excellent information and application of principles that promote quality of life.(AU)

Se ha explorado poco el conocimiento de los propietarios sobre los cuidados veterinarios básicos como requisito para la tenencia responsable de animales de compañía. Los perfiles sociodemográficos están relacionados con el nivel de desarrollo de una población, siendo un factor preponderante en la forma en que se crían los animales de compañía. El presente trabajo analizó la influencia del perfil demográfico y de los factores socioeconómicos de los propietarios del municipio de Santana de Parnaíba en la tenencia responsable de perros y gatos. Se incluyeron 300 propietarios (205 de perros y 95 de gatos), que llevaron a sus animales a campañas de castración en Santana de Parnaíba entre diciembre de 2018 y enero de 2019. El instrumento utilizado estuvo compuesto por 38 preguntas sobre aspectos sociodemográficos, nutricionales y de salud. comportamiento y comodidad. La puntuación de tutela responsable permitió una puntuación máxima de 15 puntos, y los dueños de perros obtuvieron una puntuación de tutela responsable un 10% más alta que los dueños de gatos. El menor ingreso familiar y el tipo de mascota influyeron en el puntaje. El presente trabajo mostró que el 79% de los ciudadanos de Santana de Parnaíba tienen un puntaje de custodia responsable entre 10 y 14 puntos, con excelente información y aplicación de principios que promueven la calidad de vida.(AU)

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Free-roaming dogs are an important concern for public health, livestock production and the environment. Human behaviors-such as allowing pets to roam, abandoning dogs, or feeding stray animals-could influence free-roaming dog abundance and the frequency of occurrence of dog-caused problems. Here we aim to determine patterns of free-roaming dog abundance in urban and rural areas, to reveal spatial variation in human behaviors underlying the free-roaming dog problem, and to test for associations between free-roaming dog abundance and related problems. We conducted our study in Chile, where dogs are a major environmental issue. In Chile, as in many other Global South countries, many people leave their dogs to roam, partly due to norms and to lax enforcement of dog control laws. To address our objectives, we counted dogs in 213 transects in urban and rural areas to model dog abundance using N-mixture models. Then we conducted interviews in 553 properties around the transects to determine people's dog management, their behavior towards free-roaming dogs and the prevalence of dog-caused problems. Dog abundance was higher in transects where a higher number of owned dogs was allowed to roam, as well as in lower-income neighborhoods (based on property tax valuation). Meanwhile, rural citizens were more likely to let their dogs' roam. Dog abandonment was reported more frequently in lower-income urban neighborhoods and rural areas. Not surprisingly, we found that several problems-such as dog bites-were more frequent where we detected more free-roaming dogs. Our results highlight that the owned dog population is a central component of the free-roaming dog problem, and that human behavior is the key driver underlying the problem. Dog management programs should promote responsible dog-ownership, with a strong message focused on keeping dogs inside properties and preventing abandonment.

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Global companion animal population has been increasing as well as the number of dogs and cats being considered as a family member. However, it is unclear whether this close relationship could be associated with higher preventive healthcare in companion animals. Using data from 7,048 questionnaires of dogs and 3,271 of cats from the First National Study on Responsible Companion Animal Ownership, we estimated the proportion of preventive healthcare in companion animals of Chile. We also conducted a general linear mixed-effect regression model to identify socioeconomic factors and indicators of the emotional owners-companion animal bond that could influence owners' practices related to vaccination, parasite control, and veterinary visits. Based on the owner's answers, Chile has a satisfactory overall rates of parasite control (71%) and annual veterinary visits (65%) but a low vaccination coverage of both dogs (39%) and cats (25%). 'Purebred', 'live in urban areas', 'acquired by monetary compensation', and 'dog species' were associated with a higher probability of preventive healthcare in companion animals. Conversely, this probability was lower among senior animals compared to adults, males, and those owned by the Silent Generation or Baby Boomers (i.e., owners born before 1964). 'Sleeping inside', 'acquired for an emotional reason' (e.g., companionship), and 'considered a family member' were positively associated with at least one of assessed preventive measures. Our findings suggest that emotional owner-companion animal bonds could positively impact the frequency and quality of preventive healthcare in dogs and cats. However, owners who totally disagreed that a companion animal is a "family member" were also associated with a higher likelihood of vaccination uptake and veterinary visits for their animals. This highlights that owner's compliance with veterinary preventive healthcare is multifactorial. Chile has a high prevalence of infectious diseases circulating among dogs and cats and increasingly close contacts between owners and companion animals due to emotional bonds. Thus, our study calls for One Health approaches to reduce the risks of cross-species disease transmission. Specifically, increasing vaccination coverage of companion animals in Chile is the most urgent preventive measure needed, especially among cats, males, and older animals. Expand preventive healthcare among dogs and cats will promote public and animal health, including local wildlife that is susceptible to infectious diseases circulating in companion animals.

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SARS-CoV-2 can infect pets under natural conditions, which raises questions about the risk factors related to the susceptibility of these animals to infection. The status of pet infection by SARS-CoV-2 in Mexico is not well-understood. We aimed to estimate the frequency of positive household cats and dogs to viral RNA and antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 during the second wave of human infections in Mexico, and to recognize the major risk factors related to host and pet ownership behaviour. We evaluated two study groups, cats and dogs from COVID-19-infected/-suspected households (n = 44) and those admitted for veterinary care for any reason at several veterinary hospitals in Puebla City, Mexico (n = 91). Using RT-PCR, we identified the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in swabs of four dogs (18.18%) and zero cats in COVID-19-infected/-suspected households; within this group, 31.82% of dogs and 27.27% of cats were tested IgG ELISA-positive; and neutralizing antibodies were detected in one dog (4.55%) and two cats (9.09%). In the random group (pets evaluated at private clinics and veterinary teaching hospital), 25.00% of dogs and 43.59% of cats were ELISA-positive and only one cat showed neutralizing antibodies (2.56%). Older than 4-year-old, other pets at home, and daily cleaning of pet dish, were each associated with an increase in SARS-CoV-2 infection (p < 0.05). Allowing face lick, sharing bed/food with pets and owner tested positive or suspected COVID-19 were not significant risk factors, but more than 4 h the owner spent away from home during the lockdown for COVID-19 (OR = 0.37, p = 0.01), and outdoor pet food tray (OR = 0.32, p = 0.01) significantly decreased the risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pets, suggesting that time the owner spends with their pet is an important risk factor.

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Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) are one of the most common pets around the world but ownership patterns and human-dog interactions have been changing, particularly in developing nations. We conducted household surveys in Costa Rica to characterize dog ownership, the owned dog population, where dogs were confined at night and in the morning, and behaviors regarding selected dog care issues. We also compared these results to similar questionnaires used in Costa Rica over the past 20 years. We found 76% of households in Costa Rica owned at least one dog and on average there were about 1.4 dogs owned per household. These dog ownership rates are higher than previous estimates. The probability of owning a dog was highest on farms and lowest in single family dwellings without a yard, higher among respondents that owned their homes and decreasing with increasing human population density The total number of owned dogs in Costa Rica was estimated to be 2,222,032 (95% confidence intervals: 1,981,497-2,503,751). The sterilization rate for homed dogs in 2020 was approximately 62% (females: 67%, males: 61%) which is higher than the 18% of owned dogs that were sterilized in a 2003 survey. Overall, only 1.2% (95% CI: 0.3-2.5%) of owned dogs slept on the street with a slightly higher proportion on the street at 8 am. The number of owned dogs roaming the streets at night nation-wide was estimated to be 27,208 (95% CI: 7,557-56,619) compared to 43,142 (95% CI: 20,118-73,618) on the street at 8 am. The number of unowned free-roaming dogs in Costa Rica has never been estimated but we can generate some idea of the size of the unowned dog population by determining the proportion of free-roaming dogs on the street wearing collars. There was a negative relationship between human population density and owned dogs being on the street meaning fewer dogs roam the streets in highly populated areas compared to less populated areas. Overall, we identify trends against which future progress can be measured and provide information that are critical in designing effective humane dog management programs in Costa Rica in the future.

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Therapeutic strategies capable of inducing and enhancing prosthesis embodiment are a key point for better adaptation to and acceptance of prosthetic limbs. In this study, we developed a training protocol using an EMG-based human-machine interface (HMI) that was applied in the preprosthetic rehabilitation phase of people with amputation. This is a case series with the objective of evaluating the induction and enhancement of the embodiment of a virtual prosthesis. Six men and a woman with unilateral transfemoral traumatic amputation without previous use of prostheses participated in the study. Participants performed a training protocol with the EMG-based HMI, composed of six sessions held twice a week, each lasting 30 mins. This system consisted of myoelectric control of the movements of a virtual prosthesis immersed in a 3D virtual environment. Additionally, vibrotactile stimuli were provided on the participant's back corresponding to the movements performed. Embodiment was investigated from the following set of measurements: skin conductance response (affective measurement), crossmodal congruency effect (spatial perception measurement), ability to control the virtual prosthesis (motor measurement), and reports before and after the training. The increase in the skin conductance response in conditions where the virtual prosthesis was threatened, recalibration of the peripersonal space perception identified by the crossmodal congruency effect, ability to control the virtual prosthesis, and participant reports consistently showed the induction and enhancement of virtual prosthesis embodiment. Therefore, this protocol using EMG-based HMI was shown to be a viable option to achieve and enhance the embodiment of a virtual prosthetic limb.

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Free-roaming dogs are a worldwide problem, with Chile having some of the highest human-to-dog ratios in the world. In 2017, Law 21.020 was promulgated and the federal government developed a national responsible pet ownership program. The objectives of this article are to describe and discuss the dog-related components of the program, to design a tool for determining human-to-dog ratios in Chile, and to make recommendations to managers to improve the program outcomes. The overarching goal of the program was to mitigate the conflict between humans and dogs, but many of the interventions were animal-focused and the indicators did not consider the perception of the Chilean public. Using human density data and known dog populations, we found that as the human density increased, there were fewer dogs per person. Veterinary services and sterilizations were the mainstay of the program and were offered for free to citizens. Education was offered to all ages through public events, as well as municipality and organization activities. The identification of dogs was obligatory for dog owners. Enforcement was not included in the program. The recommendations are to conduct preintervention baseline data collections and to tailor interventions and indicators appropriately; to use dog population size estimates determined at the local level rather than a country-wide estimate; to replace free veterinary services with low-cost sterilization campaigns; to create sustainable plans for education; and to create enforcement teams in communities.

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Free-ranging dogs (FRDs), are a problem in several countries, with impacts on humans, domestic animals, and wildlife, although increasing evidence suggests that most FRDs are owned. Therefore, understanding dog ownership on a fine scale is critical. The main objectives of this study were to explore dog management in rural localities from central Chile focusing on modeling owner-related variables associated with dog confinement and characterize confined and FRDs populations. Interviews (170) were carried out in Paine municipality, reporting a human:dog ratio of 1.5:1, and dogs in most households (85.9%, 146/170). Thirty-seven percent (54/146) of those households did not confine their dog(s) to some degree, and 41% (196/472) of surveyed dogs were FRD. Based on multivariable logistic regression models, non-confinement was decreased by (i) negative opinion of owners toward roaming behavior of their dogs, (ii) negative opinion toward FRDs, among others. Dog confinement increased along with owners' concerns about the impacts of their dogs on others. Owned-FRDs tended to have poorer general care than confined dogs. Our findings represent a contribution to the understanding of the human dimensions behind FRDs and provide critical quantitative elements to consider when planning effective control strategies.

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Despite the abundance of studies investigating the benefits of having a dog, the specific aspects of dog ownership that impacts human well-being are not well understood. This study used a qualitative approach to create a framework of the main dog-related activities perceived by Brazilian owners to impact their well-being and compared the findings with those of a similar study in England. Thirty-two Brazilian dog owners from the five regions of the country were remotely interviewed. The thematic analysis of the transcripts generated a total of 58 dog-related activities, organised into 13 themes. Most activities were reported to have a positive effect on participants' well-being, accounting for 76.8% of the total number of mentions in the interviews. 'Playing with dog' and 'Dog presence' were the themes most frequently associated with positive well-being outcomes, whereas 'Unwanted behaviours' and 'Failing to meet dog's needs' were the most commonly associated with negative outcomes. The dog-related activities reported by Brazilian dog owners and the well-being outcomes linked to those activities were consistent with the previous British sample in the framework that emerged. These findings suggest reliability between the two methods used to gather data (remote interview versus focus group) and, most importantly, provide consistent cross-cultural evidence for how certain activities impact dog owner's well-being.

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Resumen O sentido de propriedade reflete o entendimento e o julgamento que as pessoas apresentam em relação à apropriação e ao uso dos recursos disponíveis. A partir de um enfoque evolucionista, os objetivos deste artigo foram realizar uma análise teórica sobre a ontogênese do sentido de propriedade buscando descrever os critérios utilizados pelas crianças para atribuírem a propriedade a alguém e lançar uma hipótese explicativa de haver alguma vantagem adaptativa para essa capacidade. Conclusões preliminares sugerem que crianças, em diferentes culturas, usam variados critérios para fazerem julgamentos e inferências sobre a posse e a propriedade e que o aparecimento precoce dessa capacidade desempenharia importante papel para as interações sociais, tais como o de minimizar conflitos originados pela disputa de recursos.

Abstract The sense of ownership reflects people's understanding and judgment regarding the appropriation and use of available resources. From an evolutionary approach, the aims of this paper were to conduct a theoretical analysis on the ontogenesis of the sense of property, seeking to describe the criteria used by children to assign property to someone and to put forward an explanatory hypothesis that there is an adaptive advantage in this capacity. Preliminary conclusions suggest that children, in different cultures, use varying criteria to make judgments and inferences about possess and ownership, and that the early emergence of this ability would play an important role in social interactions, such as minimizing conflicts arising from resource disputes.

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The goals of the present study were to investigate socio-demographic characteristics and well-being indicators associated with pet ownership. The respondents (N = 801, 53.8% females; 56.2% with children) came from the five macro-regions of Brazil (8% North, 28% Northeast, 36% Southeast, 18% South, 10% Central-West). Their ages ranged from 20 to 50 years. Over half of the sample (60%) reported living with a pet. Logistic regression showed that residence type (to be owner versus renter) and parental status (to be childless versus to have children) were predictors of pet ownership. We found interaction between pet ownership and sex on well-being indicators: the Mann-Whitney test showed that men who owned a pet reported better sleep quality, better relationship with neighbors and less sadness; whereas women who owned a pet reported lower life organization. With respect to life satisfaction, no differences were found between pet owners and non-pet owners. Implications of our findings and new research directions are discussed. Our study was conducted before the Covid-19 pandemic. The survey should be reapplied during and after the pandemic, so that we can deepen our knowledge of the socio-demographic characteristics and subjective well-being indicators associated with pet ownership.

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Over the second and third years of life, toddlers begin to engage in helping even when it comes at a personal cost. During this same period, toddlers gain experience of ownership, which may influence their tendency to help at a cost. Whereas costly helping has been studied in Western children, who have ample access to resources, the emergence of costly helping has not been examined in societies where children's experience with ownership is varied and access to resources is scarce. The current study compared the development of toddlers' costly and non-costly helping in three societies within Canada, India, and Peru that differ in these aspects of children's early social experience. In two conditions, 16- to 36-month-olds (N = 100) helped an experimenter by giving either their own items (Costly condition) or the experimenter's items (Non-costly condition). Children's tendency to help increased with age in the Non-costly condition across all three societies. In the Costly condition, in Canada children's tendency to help increased with age, in Peru children's helping remained stable across age, and in India children's level of helping decreased with age. Thus, whereas we replicate the findings that non-costly helping appears to develop synchronously across diverse societies, costly helping may depend on children's early society-specific experiences. We discuss these findings in relation to children's early ownership experience and access to resources, factors that may account for the divergent patterns in the development of costly helping across these societies.

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This data article incorporates, in an unbalanced panel data, five variables types: financial and market; board structure; board network and social capital; ownership and governance level; the cost of capital. The dataset is formed of 6024 firm-level annual observations based on 622 Brazilian public companies investigated between the years of 2002 and 2015, totaling 56 variables. A three-level data structure was created to allow aggregate directors and network board data into the panel data. Directors' data and adjacency matrix are included to allow for multilevel hierarchical analyzes as well as the use of analytical methods of social networks.

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The domestic cat (Felis catus) has become a worldwide threat to wildlife. The potential impact of owned cats on wildlife in Chile has not been documented at a large scale. The purpose of this study was to investigate the number and type of prey that owned cats bring back in Chile and its relation with responsible ownership practices. An online survey was distributed to 5216 households that included questions about the type of pet, responsible ownership practices, and in the case of cats, the type of prey they brought home. Descriptive statistics as well as univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were applied. The results showed that 94.3% of respondents had a pet, and from these, 49.9% had at least one cat. A total of 84.1% of owners reported that their cats had brought back prey. Birds were the most common type of prey, followed by mammals and insects. Not being registered with a microchip, not having a litter box, living in a house with access to a garden, not having a hiding place for the cats, and having free access to the outdoors significantly increased the odds of cats bringing back prey. Body condition score or providing ad libitum food to cats did not have an effect on bringing prey.

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PURPOSE: This paper aims to support the equity reassignment process of large family business conglomerates, which can be complex due to both the nature and number of companies involved and specific owner requirements. Addressing these issues is especially important in the context of family businesses, since a successful reassignment might resolve and prevent family conflicts. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The paper presents a model that determines the optimal reassignment in terms of a specific owner's preferences. This model can also handle different types of requirements, including accounting for equity and intra-loan partition between owners and controlling for liquidity, capital structure, and transaction costs. The model also considers risk diversification for each member's fortune by considering the uncertainty involved in the future value of each firm, which can change at any point depending on industry and market conditions. The methodology not only finds the optimal solution in terms of a specific target, but it allows for post-optimal analysis so that owners can obtain important insights in terms of the costs involved in adding each requirement to the model. FINDINGS/RESULTS: The model was successfully applied in a real case study. The tool played a primary role in identifying a new equity distribution for a family holding structure composed of 4 members and 26 companies. In the first step, the model derived an optimal solution in terms of the target chosen by the owners, but it did not fully satisfy all members. However, owners were able to come to a decision regarding final reassignment after doing a sensible post-optimal analysis. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Previous research has focused on analyzing the special characteristics of family-run businesses and how they differ with respect to non-family-run businesses in terms of performance, governance, and management, among other things. However, this paper is the first referring to the process of ownership reassignment and to use an optimization model in its methodology. It is also the first study that bridges the gaps between the disciplines of portfolio optimization, corporate finance, and family business.

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The precise estimation of the domestic animal population is important for effective health planning. The objective was to verify the applicability in Brazil of the method proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO), to estimate the animal population of developing countries, comparing it with data published by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). From the questionnaire prepared by IBGE, specific questions were selected to be submitted for statistical evaluation. The results indicate a population larger than that estimated by the WHO, there is still a low vaccination coverage, and campaigns should be intensified in cats and in rural areas. Rural areas have larger numbers of cats and dogs per household, and the concentration of animals in the cities is higher in neighborhoods consisting of houses than apartments. The dog is the companion animal of choice of Brazilians.

A estimativa precisa da população animal é de significativa importância para o efetivo planejamento em saúde. Objetivou-se verificar a aplicabilidade no Brasil do método proposto pela Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) para estimar a população animal dos países em desenvolvimento, comparando-a aos dados publicados pelo Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). A partir do questionário realizado por este órgão foram selecionadas perguntas específicas para serem submetidas à avaliação estatística. Os resultados indicam uma população maior que o estimado pela OMS e que ainda existe baixa cobertura vacinal, e as campanhas devem ser intensificadas em gatos e nas áreas rurais. As áreas rurais apresentam maiores quantidades de gatos e cães por domicílio, assim como a concentração de animais nas cidades é maior em bairros de casas do que de apartamentos. O cão é o animal de companhia de eleição do brasileiro.

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The precise estimation of the domestic animal population is important for effective health planning. The objective was to verify the applicability in Brazil of the method proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO), to estimate the animal population of developing countries, comparing it with data published by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). From the questionnaire prepared by IBGE, specific questions were selected to be submitted for statistical evaluation. The results indicate a population larger than that estimated by the WHO, there is still a low vaccination coverage, and campaigns should be intensified in cats and in rural areas. Rural areas have larger numbers of cats and dogs per household, and the concentration of animals in the cities is higher in neighborhoods consisting of houses than apartments. The dog is the companion animal of choice of Brazilians.(AU)

A estimativa precisa da população animal é de significativa importância para o efetivo planejamento em saúde. Objetivou-se verificar a aplicabilidade no Brasil do método proposto pela Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) para estimar a população animal dos países em desenvolvimento, comparando-a aos dados publicados pelo Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). A partir do questionário realizado por este órgão foram selecionadas perguntas específicas para serem submetidas à avaliação estatística. Os resultados indicam uma população maior que o estimado pela OMS e que ainda existe baixa cobertura vacinal, e as campanhas devem ser intensificadas em gatos e nas áreas rurais. As áreas rurais apresentam maiores quantidades de gatos e cães por domicílio, assim como a concentração de animais nas cidades é maior em bairros de casas do que de apartamentos. O cão é o animal de companhia de eleição do brasileiro.(AU)

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Free-roaming dogs affected by visceral leishmaniasis (VL) contribute to the geographical expansion of the disease and require special attention from health authorities. The objectives of the present study were to determine the prevalences of VL in a population of free-roaming dogs in an endemic region of Brazil, to establish the spatial distribution of infected dogs, and to examine the effectiveness of euthanasia of infected dogs in controlling the disease in this particular population. Dogs were captured every two months during seven sampling efforts. Capture locations were georeferenced and captured dogs were assessed for the presence of anti-Leishmania antibodies using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) as a screening test and the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) as the confirmatory procedure. Dogs that were seropositive by both assays were considered infected and were submitted to immediate euthanasia. After the end of the collection period, stored sera were evaluated with the Dual-Path Platform test (DPP). Animals positive by this method and by ELISA were also considered infected as currently recommended by the Brazilian Ministry of Health. Spatial analysis was performed using the Kernel technique. A total of 328 dogs were captured at least once during the sampling period, 25 (7.6%) of them were seropositive by ELISA and IFAT and 27 (8.2%) by DPP and ELISA. The prevalence of VL showed an overall decreasing trend. However, even with periodical euthanasia, it was not possible to eliminate the infection and increased prevalences were observed in the fourth and seventh samplings. There was a high overall agreement between the two criteria for defining infection. None of the dogs that tested negative by IFAT at the first capture seroconverted in the subsequent captures but a number of dogs exhibited changes in serological status over time. From the three dogs initially tested negative by ELISA and IFAT, but tested positive by the protocol currently adopted in Brazil, two became negative in subsequent recaptures. Spatial analysis revealed that infected animals concentrated in areas with a high density of free-roaming dogs. The existence of VL among homeless dogs may contribute significantly in the persistence of the disease among the human population, despite the practice of periodical euthanasia. The operational and ethical implications associated with euthanasia of free-roaming dogs, and the failure to control the transmission of VL among this particular population, led us to conclude that interventions promoting responsible ownership of pets may be a more effective strategy.

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