Application of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) for Free-Roaming Dog Population Management

Abstract

Dogs are a ubiquitous species, and their ecology is closely linked with human activities. Catch-neutervaccinate-release is the intervention employed to manage the free-roaming or stray dog population in the Sri Lankan context after imposing a "no kill" policy in 2006. However, sustainable and effective management is still not visible in urban areas and rural areas of the country as well. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate dog owners' dog-keeping practices, and behaviours for dogs' undesirable behaviours, and veterinary services (VS) to determine whether those affect free-roaming dog (SDP) population management. Simple random sampling was employed to select participants. The data was collected through in-person interviews adapting a closed-ended, structured questionnaire from 287 participants (dog owners who have local or native dogs). The measure was five point rating likert scale. RDO and SDP management were higher-order constructs, and dog-keeping practice, behaviour, veterinary services, abandonment, and owned stray dogs were first-order constructs of the model. Structural equation modeling with maximum likelihood estimation via AMOS 21 software was employed. The study showed that RDO and VS were significant and positive predictors of SDP population management. This model can be used to better understand the insights of dog-keeping practices and behaviours of dog owners for planning and implementing cost-effective and sustainable SDP population management interventions in a area.