Three Things to Know
Dog population management efforts like animal birth control (ABC) and catch-neuter-vaccinate-release (CNVR) can improve animal welfare, but they often fail to change underlying human attitudes and behaviors. A project in Portugal aimed to test whether empowering the community could lead to these changes.
At the beginning of the project, sterilization rates were extremely low: only 1% of dogs and 2% of cats were sterilized. After the campaign, these numbers rose dramatically to 52% of dogs and 80% of cats. Visible signs of sickness or injury also dropped significantly, from 5% to 1% in dogs and 13% to 2% in cats, showing the project’s success in improving animal welfare.
While community perceptions of stray animals as a problem didn’t change much, a notable shift occurred in people’s willingness to help. The proportion of respondents willing to assist an injured animal rose sharply from 65% to 87%. Overall, the vast majority of people approved of the project, seeing it as a meaningful way to help both animals and the community.
For Dog Welfare Practitioners
Dog welfare advocates often overlook community engagement when planning sterilization campaigns. This study powerfully illustrates the consequences, showing how skepticism and rumors nearly derailed the project. It underscores the critical need to build trust with community members before initiating action.
Moreover, despite overwhelming agreement that the project benefited both humans and animals, the campaign didn’t fully shift perceptions of stray animals. Approximately 60% of non-pet owners still view strays as a problem. This highlights that dog welfare advocates must continue their efforts beyond sterilization, focusing on education and engagement to change public attitudes.
The Full Picture
The root cause of most companion animal welfare issues is human behavior. Traditional interventions often improve animal welfare but fail to address underlying human attitudes and behaviors. This includes dog population management efforts, such as Animal Birth Control (ABC) and Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs, which typically measure success through animal-centric outcomes but seldom engage communities in meaningful ways.
True long-term change requires communities to be active participants — not just informed recipients — through inclusive planning and implementation. To demonstrate this, Change For Animals Foundation launched a pilot project. This study, titled “The role of human behaviour change in companion animal management: A case study of Praia de Faro, Portugal”, aimed to test whether empowering the community and encouraging participation would lead to better animal welfare outcomes and more sustainable changes in local attitudes and behaviors.
Study Methods
The project in Praia de Faro, Portugal, a geographically isolated and seasonally populated peninsula, emphasized community engagement from the outset. A collaborative plan was developed with local stakeholders, including the NGO Animais de Rua, municipal authorities, businesses, and residents, to ensure the community had ownership and trust in the project. The project included three stages:
Stage 1 (Nov 2013–Oct 2014) involved assessing the dog and cat populations and community attitudes. A detailed animal census and community survey were conducted. Data collected included animal body condition, signs of illness or injury, ownership indicators, and community perceptions of roaming animals. These assessments were repeated during high and low tourist seasons.
Stage 2 (Oct 2014–June 2015) consisted of Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) campaigns, veterinary treatments, and door-to-door welfare interventions. Cats were targeted first in a mobile clinic, followed by dogs via local veterinary practices. The campaign also included health screenings, parasite and disease testing, and direct outreach to promote responsible ownership. Community members received high-quality food for animals, and outreach materials were widely distributed.
Stage 3 (Nov 2015–Aug 2016) involved monitoring and evaluating changes in animal welfare and community attitudes through repeated censuses and surveys. Post-intervention assessments examined public perception of the project, continued veterinary partnerships, and follow-up care. Educational materials were updated to reinforce responsible pet care and sustained behavior change.
Overall, the project aimed to integrate community perspectives, build local capacity, and promote long-term, sustainable animal welfare improvements.
Study Results
The researchers noted that the following changes in animal demographics before and after the project:
Animal Survey
Detailed animal censuses before and after the survey revealed changes in demographics of the animals. Pre-intervention, 150 dogs and 220 cats were recorded. While the number of dogs remained stable throughout the intervention, the cat population declined by approximately 25%, likely due not only to the sterilisation campaign but also to external factors such as the demolition of illegal homes and the relocation of one cat colony.
At the outset, sterilisation rates were extremely low — just 1% of dogs and 2% of cats. Through the course of the intervention, a total of 84 dogs and 204 cats were sterilised and treated as needed. This led to a significant increase in the proportion of sterilised animals — 52% of dogs and 80% of cats — seen during follow-up surveys.
Health and welfare indicators showed marked improvement. The proportion of dogs and cats with an ideal body condition score rose from 90% to 95%, while visible signs of sickness or injury dropped from 5% to 1% in dogs and from 13% to 2% in cats. These improvements were likely due to high sterilisation rates, veterinary outreach, and the temporary distribution of high-quality food.
Community Survey
In parallel, a household survey showed pet ownership rose slightly from 61% to 66%, though this change was not statistically significant. Among owned pets, sterilisation rates saw a dramatic and highly significant increase from 19% to 68%. The percentage of pets allowed to roam remained largely unchanged, dropping slightly from 47% pre-project to 45% post-project.
Community perceptions of stray animals as a problem remained largely unchanged. However, researchers noted a difference based on pet ownership: 61% of non-pet owners, compared to 44% of pet owners, identified strays as a concern. More positively, there was a significant rise in the proportion of respondents willing to assist injured animals, increasing from 65% to an impressive 87%.
Community Perception of the Project
Initially, community reception of the project was cautious and sometimes mistrustful. Volunteers encountered suspicion and reluctance to engage, especially during the lengthy assessment phase. This skepticism eventually shifted to widespread support once the sterilisation activities visibly began. However, community trust was briefly shaken again during the follow-up surveys due to rumors that the surveys were linked to identifying homes for demolition. Once these concerns were addressed, the project regained community backing. A vast majority believed the work has helped both the people and the animals, with only a small fraction (2%) of respondents viewed the project negatively, mostly due to unmet expectations around specific animal cases.
Importantly, early estimates from residents greatly overestimated cat numbers and underestimated dog numbers, the project helped correct these perceptions and fostered a greater understanding of animal populations. All dogs were ultimately found to be owned, which may have contributed to stronger community engagement with dog-focused interventions and, in turn, improved attitudes toward cats as well. Community-led behavior change was evident, including increased willingness to sterilize pets and a rise in shared responsibility for animal welfare. Even initially reluctant residents became supportive as trust and communication improved.
Conclusion
The Praia de Faro project demonstrates that integrating community development into dog and cat population management can lead to sustainable improvements in animal welfare and increased community ownership. While challenges such as building trust and balancing community concerns with animal welfare remain, the project showed that community involvement fosters positive behavior changes — like seeking veterinary care for unowned animals.
Though much of the practical work was delivered by outside professionals, the project prioritized community engagement throughout. This approach helped align animal and human needs, suggesting that such models can be effective for other animal welfare organizations. True sustainability depends not just on community participation, but also on continued collaboration and support, rather than full self-sufficiency.
Miscellaneous
Data From Study:
Street Dogs > Portugal > CNVR Efforts
Year of Publication:
2024
External Link:
Eckman, Harry and Hiby, Elly, hai.2024.0029, Human-Animal Interactions, doi:10.1079/hai.2024.0029, CABI, The role of human behaviour change in companion animal management: A case study of Praia de Faro, Portugal, (2024). https://doi.org/10.1079/hai.2024.0029