According to the International Companion Animal Management Alliance, the stray dog population is made up of dogs with and without owners, and can be broadly divided into four categories: free-range dogs: domestic dogs that are kept by someone, but whose owners do not restrict the dog’s range of motion, so the dog can roam around. Lost dog: A dog that was owned but for some reason got lost and ended up on the street. If the owner does not microchip the lost dog, the dog may not be identified and may not be found by the owner, and may end up as a stray or in an animal shelter. Abandoned dogs: Dogs that have been maliciously abandoned by their original owners and are living on the streets. Ownerless dogs: Dogs born from mating and breeding with or without owners, living on the streets from birth to adulthood, and without a clear owner. The solution to the stray dog problem must be tailored to local conditions In response to the different sources of stray dogs, a multi-pronged approach must be taken to achieve results. For the part of reducing lost and abandoned dogs, a pet registration system should be actively implemented, education and awareness of the importance of owner responsibility should be strengthened, and it should be mandatory for owners and breeders to complete the implantation of pet registration chips for dogs under their control, and fines should be issued for improper breeding or abandonment. For street dogs that are kept without owners, the government should cooperate with private groups to control the source by catching, neutering, vaccinating, and returning (TNVR) to prevent stray dogs from continuing to breed. For dogs that cannot be returned after neutering, they can be dealt with by other means such as sending them for adoption or sheltering. For the part of releasing dogs. The current approach in Taiwan is the RANA program, which not only effectively blocks breeding and builds a prevention network, but also achieves the effect of local adoption, which truly fulfills the owner’s responsibility. Thinking about stray dogs In fact, many people think that the stray dogs that roam around are either abandoned or lost dogs. However, abandoned or lost dogs are actually only a small percentage of the population. Because human-raised domestic dogs have lived in a stable and well-fed environment for so long, once abandoned or lost in an unfamiliar environment, almost nine out of ten of them lack the ability to compete for survival in the wild. For example, they must face crises such as ostracism from stray dogs in the field, not knowing where there is a food source or hiding space, and road kill. In addition, they are also more likely to be captured and entered into public shelters because of their past experience of being bred to be close to humans. Some groups point out that the problem of stray animals in Taiwan is caused by unscrupulous dog and cat breeders who improperly abandon their dogs. However, in fact, the breeds in breeding farms are mainly purebred dogs, while in contrast, those entering public shelters are mainly mixed-breed dogs and cats [4][5]. Moreover, purebred dogs (especially small purebred dogs) are in danger of being abandoned in the wild, and there is usually a greater chance that a purebred dog will be recognized as a lost dog and temporarily taken in or even given up for adoption than a mixed breed dog. Therefore, the main source of stray dogs should be free-ranging dogs and street dogs that are used to wandering in the wild and have a high ability to survive and reproduce.
