UQ Gatton study investigates urban wild dogs

Researchers from The University of Queensland (UQ), Gatton will take a closer look at the impact of urban wild dogs on human health and safety as part of a new study launched recently.

Wild dog populations (including dingoes, feral domestic dogs, and hybrids of the two) have traditionally been under the microscope as a result of their impacts on livestock production in rural areas but this study will look at the problem in terms of their impact on those living in metropolitan areas.

Ben Allen, an honours student at UQ Gatton is conducting the research in conjunction with the Department of Health and the Department of Natural Resources, many coastal shire and city councils, and other wild dog control agencies and believes that wild dog management in urban areas is a growing concern.

“Wild dogs in urban areas present a number of potential threats to public health and safety including the possibility of direct attack on people, and attacks on pet animals such as cats and dogs or domestic livestock,” Mr Allen said.

“Further social and community effects of wild dog populations infringing on urban areas includes the largely unexplored risk of people contracting some of the diseases and parasites they carry.

"It’s not as much of a concern for suburban pets because they are treated and cared for by their owners; but nobody treats the wild dogs that roam the suburbs.”

Management of wild dogs in urban areas is complicated by a lack of knowledge on their general ecology (density, origin, movements and habitat use), parasite burden, social behaviour in urban environments, and the lack of efficient control methods to capture or destroy wild dogs in urban areas.

The project currently being undertaken by Mr Allen under the supervision of Dr Luke Leung, UQ Wildlife Ecologist and Dave Jenkins, of the Hydatid Control Centre in Canberra, is designed to rectify some of the lack of information in these areas.

“Identifying the resources critical to sustaining wild dog populations in urban areas is essential for effective management. The crucial need for basic research on urban wild dogs is apparent when many Queensland coastal city councils already invest considerable funds controlling wild dogs and vainly seek advice from the literature and government pest management agencies.” Mr Allen said.

The project will continue through until next November and will see between 20 and 25 dogs being monitored at any one time in bushland and residential suburbs from South East to Northern Queensland.

During this time, the project hopes to successfully document habitat use by urban wild dogs in Queensland, assess the role of bushland areas and reserves in sustaining wild dog populations and explore other potential health related threats wild dogs pose to humans.

Media inquiries: Susanne Schick - UQ Gatton Campus (5460 1229, 0409 265 587).
Further information/comment: Ben Allen (5460 1180, 0439 756 017)