Social perception of the presence of free-ranging dogs and cats in green areas of a Neotropical city
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 8135657 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Rafael Flores-Peredo (0000-0002-7038-4885, Universidad Veracruzana), Rocío Angélica Mendoza-Viveros (Universidad Veracruzana), Isac Mella-Méndez (0000-0002-7491-699X, Universidad Veracruzana) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 15 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-13 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Ethnobiology and Conservation (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2238-4782 • E-ISSN: 2238-4782 |
| Publisher | Universidade Estadual da Paraiba/Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (Ethnobiology and Conservation) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.15451/ec2026-01-15-03-1-15 |
| OpenAlex | W7124136911 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 42 |
Social perception of dogs and cats in urban green areas (UGAs) is a controversial issue. Our objective was to determine social perceptions regarding the presence of free-ranging dogs and cats in the UGA of the city of Xalapa, in Veracruz, Mexico, considering human demographic variables. During January-September 2019, we surveyed 480 individuals through a questionnaire with binary responses and Likert scale, exploring their perception of the dogs and cats using UGA for shelter, breeding and preying on wildlife, as well as to determine the perceived nuisance of the presence of excreta and high abundance of free-ranging dogs and cats in the streets and UGA. We also analyzed their opinion of the implementation of mass-sterilization strategies and imposition of fines for irresponsible ownership. Our results showed that male semi-owners of the animals with no university education are most in agreement with these animals using the UGA for shelter, while semi-owners with no university education of the zones of high and medium socioeconomic status are those most in agreement with the dogs and cats breeding in the UGA. Most of the respondents were against the dogs and cats preying on wildlife, defecating in the streets and generating a nuisance through their high abundance. These results show that the social perception of free-ranging dogs and cats is somewhat complex and is strongly associated with demographic variables, which are important to the design of effective strategies of management and raising awareness among each demographic group
CATS · Feral cat · HUBzero · Likert scale · Nuisance · Perception · Socioeconomic status · Geographies of human-animal interactions · Human-Animal Interaction Studies · Rabies epidemiology and control
Can Pets Function as Family Members?
The theory of planned behavior
Pet Ownership, Attitude Toward Pets, and Support for Wildlife Management Strategies
Demographics of the Owned Dog Population in Miacatlan, Mor. Mexico
Attitudes toward Responsible Pet Ownership Behaviors in Singaporean Cat Owners
Why Do Even Committed Dog Owners Fail to Comply with Some Responsible Ownership Practices
Behaviors and Attitudes towards Semi-Owned Cats
Multimodel Inference
| Highly cited | No |
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