A free-ranging dog is a dog that is not confined to a yard or house. Free-ranging dogs include street dogs, village dogs, stray dogs, feral dogs, etc., and may be owned or unowned. The global dog population is estimated to be 700–900 million, of which approximately 75% are classified as free-ranging. Free-ranging dogs are common in developing countries. It is estimated that there are about 62 million free-ranging dogs in India. In Western countries free-ranging dogs are rare; in Europe they are primarily found in parts of Eastern Europe, and, to a lesser extent, in parts of Southern Europe. Free-ranging dogs survive by adapting to their environment, including scavenging through uncollected food waste, hunting small animals, consuming carrion and road kill, or being fed by people. The free-ranging dogs from South Asia, where these animals are very common, are often referred to as pye-dogs. The Indian pariah dog is a landrace of the Indian subcontinent and is often found in the form of street dogs, although some Indian pariah dogs are owned, including by the police. Various human organizations work to manage free-ranging dogs, citing concerns about the spread of rabies, the animals' welfare, and other areas. These include governments, animal rights organizations and other non-governmental organizations, and veterinarians. Some governments have dog-management policies, including trap–neuter–return, the permanent removal of dogs from the streets and their indefinite housing in animal shelters, their (national or international) adoption, or their euthanasia.
Origin
Dogs living with humans is a dynamic relationship, with a large proportion of the dog population losing contact with humans at some stage over time. This loss of contact first occurred after domestication and has reoccurred throughout history. The global dog population is estimated to be around 900 million and rising. Although it is said that the "dog is man's best friend" for the 17–24% of dogs that live as pets in the developed countries, in the developing world pet dogs are uncommon, with there instead being many village, community, or feral dogs. Most of these dogs live out their lives as scavengers and have never been owned by humans, with one study showing their most common response when approached by strangers is to run away (52%) or respond aggressively (11%). Little is known about these dogs, or the dogs in developed countries that are feral, stray, or that are in shelters, as the majority of modern research on dog cognition has focused on pet dogs living in human homes.
Factors leading to stray dogs Stray dogs are dogs without an owner. While the term stray dog is sometimes used to refer specifically to dogs which have been lost, in a more general sense a stray dog is any unowned free-ranging dog. Four Paws defines stray animals as "those animals who are either born on the streets or have become homeless due to abandonment". Several factors lead to the existence of stray dogs. In some cases, the dogs have lived on the streets for many generations. Such dogs are born on the streets, having never been owned, and live in a feral or semi-feral state. Other stray dogs have been previously owned and ended on the streets because they were abandoned by their owners, either at birth (when the owners could not accommodate a litter) or at a later time, especially if the owners faced economic challenges, lifestyle changes, or health issues. Some owners abandon their working dogs if they are dissatisfied with their performance. Dogs can also end up as strays in cases of natural disasters, armed conflicts or other calamities.
Categories of dogs
There is confusion with the terms used to categorize dogs. Dogs can be classed by whether they possess an owner or a community of owners, how freely they can move around, and any genetic differences they have from other dog populations due to long-term separation.
Family dogs Also known as "owned dogs". They have an identifiable human associate, are commonly socialized, and are not allowed to roam. They are restricted to particular outdoor or indoor areas. They have little impact on wildlife unless going with humans into natural areas. Domestic dogs are all dog breeds (other than dingoes) selectively bred, kept and fed by humans. They can be pets, guard dogs, livestock guardian dogs or working dogs. Domestic dogs may also behave like wild dogs if they are not adequately controlled or are free roaming.
Free-ranging owned dogs A free-ranging dog is a dog that is not confined to a yard or house. Free-ranging owned dogs are cared for by one owner or a community of owners, and are able to roam freely. This includes "village dogs", which live in rural areas and human habitations. These are not confined. However, they rarely leave the village vicinity. This also includes "rural free-ranging dogs", which also live in rural areas and human habitations. These are owned or are associated with homes, and they are not confined. These include farm and pastoral dogs that range over particular areas.
Free-ranging unowned dogs
Free-ranging unowned dogs are stray dogs. They get their food and shelter from human environments, but they have not been socialized and so they avoid humans as much as possible. Free-ranging unowned dogs include "street dogs", which live in cities and urban areas. These have no owner but are commensals, subsisting on leftover food from humans, garbage, or other dogs' food as their primary food sources. Free-ranging unowned dogs also include feral dogs.
Feral dogs
… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.
