Refuge for Rover: A Social Return on Investment of a Program Assisting Victim-Survivors of Domestic and Family Violence with Their Pets.

Pets are likely to be present in as many as 70 percent of domestic and family violence (DFV) cases, and the bond between victim-survivors and their animals can be particularly strong. Animals can also be victims of DFV, and concern for their animal's safety can cause victims to delay leaving their abusive situations. Programs like the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals New South Wales Domestic Violence Program, which provide temporary accommodation for pets, can enable victim-survivors and their children to plan their escape and access safety. This article evaluated the program using social return on investment methodology. Evidence on outcomes experienced by three stakeholder groups were collected from 15 stakeholder interviews and 37 program client questionnaires. Concern for their animals had caused 54 percent of clients to delay leaving their abusive situation, most for six months or more. Program clients, their children, and their animals experienced improved safety, mental health and well-being, and physical health because of the program. The alternative described by clients was often homelessness or living in their car. In total an estimated AUD$9.65 of social value was created for every AUD$1 invested into the program.

Characteristics of cat semi-owners.

OBJECTIVES: Unowned 'stray' domestic cats threaten wildlife, as well as create a community nuisance and contribute to high rates of euthanasia in animal shelters. These cats can experience poor welfare, contribute to the pet cat population and compromise attempts to control feral cats. However, many unowned domestic cats are cared for by semi-owners who do not consider they own these cats; therefore, semi-owners are a potentially important target population for human behaviour change interventions. The present study aimed to describe the characteristics of cat semi-owners and compare these with the general population of cat owners and non-cat owners to inform future cat management interventions. METHODS: An online questionnaire open to all residents of New South Wales, Australia was developed and advertised. Respondents were asked 'do you care for other free-roaming or stray cats (not including the cats you own)?', whether they owned cats, about characteristics of their home and their agreement with 15 capability, social opportunity and motivation (COM) items relating to cat containment. RESULTS: Questionnaire responses were received from 8708 people, including 588 semi-owners (7%). Semi-owners were significantly more likely to be female, live in urban areas, live in lower socioeconomic areas and rent their home. Most semi-owners also owned their own cats and owned more cats than non-semi-owners. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Semi-owners of unowned 'stray' cats are a valuable potential target audience for human behaviour change interventions. Understanding that these semi-owners often have their own cats, might already be overwhelmed with cat-caring responsibilities and are disproportionately from lower socioeconomic backgrounds should guide intervention design. A nuanced approach is needed that prioritises the wellbeing of cats and semi-owners for semi-owners to 'buy in'. Any intervention should also recognise that semi-owners often face multiple, complex barriers to neutering or claiming ownership of the cats they care for, especially cost, and trust in the authorities.

Emergency Animal Boarding: A Social Return on Investment.

Companion animals play a central role in many families and are especially valued by those who are socially isolated. Crisis situations such as acute hospitalizations, homelessness, and natural disasters can make it difficult to preserve the human-animal bond and can result in animals being surrendered or euthanized. Social support programs like the RSPCA NSW Emergency Boarding and Homelessness program support people experiencing crisis situations with emergency pet boarding, access to veterinary treatment and individualized case management. This study aimed to estimate the social return on investment (SROI) for this program using the standard SROI methodology. In-depth interviews were conducted with 13 program stakeholders and questionnaire responses were received from 29 program clients. Outcomes were quantified for four stakeholder groups: program clients, client's animals, RSPCA Inspectors, animal pounds, and shelters. Clients and their animals experienced the bulk of the benefit from the program, estimated to have a combined value of over AUD 5 million for the 2020-2021 financial year. The estimated social return on investment was AUD 8.21 for each AUD 1 invested. The study demonstrates that keeping people together with their companion animals or ensuring they are reunited as soon as possible can reduce stressors and improve outcomes for people and animals.

Understanding the Factors Influencing Cat Containment: Identifying Opportunities for Behaviour Change.

There are over 5 million pet cats in Australia managed on a spectrum from fully indoors to completely outdoor free roaming. Roaming cats threaten biodiversity, can create a nuisance and are at risk of accidents and injury. Hence, there is substantial interest in behaviour change interventions to increase cat containment. An online questionnaire collected information on cat owner demographics, the number of cats owned, current containment behaviours and an agreement with 15 capability, opportunity and motivation (COM) items. Responses were received from 4482 cat owners. More than half (65%) indicated that they currently keep their cat(s) fully contained. Another 24% practiced a night curfew. Owners' psychological capability had the greatest influence on containment behaviour. Motivation (community- and cat welfare-framed), living in an apartment and renting were also associated with a greater likelihood of containment. Cat owners not currently containing their cats could be divided into six profiles who differed on agreement with COM themes, age, future intentions, current behaviour, location and gender. Understanding differences between cat owner segments can assist with designing behaviour change interventions. Increasing cat owners' psychological capability to contain their cats and encouraging the adoption of a night curfew as a first step towards 24 h containment are recommended.

Spatial and Temporal Movements of Free-Roaming Cats and Wildlife in Two Local Government Areas in Greater Sydney, Australia.

Free-roaming cats pose a risk to their own health and welfare, as well as to the health and welfare of wildlife and humans. This study aimed to monitor and quantify area-specific free-roaming cat movement. Two local government areas (LGAs) in Greater Sydney were included, Campbelltown (CT) and the Blue Mountains (BM). Motion-capture cameras were installed on 100 volunteer properties (50 per LGA) to indirectly capture animal movements over two months. Transect drives were completed eight times (four per LGA) to directly observe roaming cats in residential areas. The cameras and transects both identified higher free-roaming cat numbers in CT (density of 0.31 cats per ha, resulting in an estimated abundance of 361 cats in the 1604 ha of residential area) than the BM (density of 0.21 cats per ha, resulting in an estimated abundance of 3365 cats in the 10,000 ha of residential area). More wildlife events were captured in the BM (total = 5580) than CT (total = 2697). However, there was no significant difference between CT and the BM for cat events (p = 0.11) or wildlife events (p = 0.32) observed via the cameras. Temporally, cats were observed via the cameras throughout the entire day with peaks at 9:30 am and 8:00 pm in the BM, and 7:00 am and 12:00 pm in CT. Overlaps in activity times were recorded for free-roaming cats with bandicoots (BM), possums (BM), and small mammals (BM and CT). This study demonstrates that camera monitoring on private property and transect drives are useful methods to quantify free-roaming cat abundance to inform cat management interventions.

The Role of Human-Animal Bonds for People Experiencing Crisis Situations.

Human-animal bonds, by providing social support, have been shown to improve the health and wellbeing of pet owners, especially those experiencing a crisis situation. The human-animal bond for people in crisis situations is complex and multifaceted, as it has shown to improve health, whilst it can also discourage people from seeking help, due to fears of leaving their pet behind. The purpose of the study is to capture and to assess the role of the human-animal bond for people in crisis situations. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with pet owners involved in the RSPCA NSW Community Programs (n = 13) in 2021 and 2022. The findings of the study indicate that the human-animal bond is highly valued by people experiencing crisis situations, that the human-animal bonds can affect people's ability to seek help or refuge, and that the human-animal bond helps people to recover after a crisis. The findings suggest that community crisis support services, prison systems, hospital systems, emergency housing, and government legislation should recognize and aim to preserve this bond to provide the best help for people experiencing crisis situations.

Low exposure of urban dogs in metropolitan Sydney, Australia to Toxocara canis demonstrated by ELISA using T. canis excretory-secretory (E/S) larval antigens.

Canine roundworm, Toxocara canis, is considered ubiquitous but patent infections are rare in adult owned urban dogs. Hepato-pulmonary migration of T. canis is common in young dogs, but in adult dogs, the migration of T. canis is arrested in tissues and larvae are inhibited. During this somatic migration, T. canis release excretory-secretory (E/S) larval antigens against which the host mounts an immune response. Detection of anti-T. canis E/S immunoglobulins is considered a proxy for the presence of arrested somatic T. canis larvae. By screening several cohorts of dogs in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, we determined the seroprevalence of anti-T. canis E/S in urban owned dogs visiting a veterinary teaching hospital in Sydney to be 3.8 % (n = 53), which was significantly lower (two-proportion z-test, P < 0.05) than the seroprevalence in pet dogs in regional western NSW (22.2 %, n = 63), and rehomed greyhounds (53.6 %, n = 28). Using a logistic regression model, the risk of testing positive in regional pet dogs (odds ratio [OR] = 37.0) and rehomed greyhounds (OR = 81.0) was significantly higher than in urban dogs (P < 0.05). Although routine deworming of dogs eliminates patent infection, our data show a low number of urban dogs with anti-T. canis E/S antibodies, which implies that the majority of these dogs were not exposed to T. canis previously, do not possess inhibited T. canis larvae, and in the case of intact females, will not transmit it to their puppies.

Cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis clade 'Sydney') are dominant fleas on dogs and cats in New South Wales, Australia: Presence of flea-borne Rickettsia felis, Bartonella spp. but absence of Coxiella burnetii DNA.

The cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) is the most common flea species parasitising both domestic cats and dogs globally. Fleas are known vectors of zoonotic pathogens such as vector-borne Rickettsia spp. and Bartonella spp. and could theoretically transmit Coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of Q fever. A total of 107 fleas were collected from 21 cats and 14 dogs in veterinary clinics, a feline rescue organisation and a grooming salon in New South Wales, Australia, to undergo PCR detection of Bartonella spp., Rickettsia spp. and C. burnetii DNA. Morphological identification confirmed that the cat flea (C. felis) is the most common flea in New South Wales, Australia, with only a single stick fast flea, Echidnophaga gallinacea recorded. The examined fleas (n = 35) at the cox1 locus revealed five closely related C. felis haplotypes (inter-haplotype distance < 0.5%). Multiplex TaqMan qPCR targeting the gltA (Rickettsia spp.) and ssrA (Bartonella spp.) genes was positive in 22.9% (95% CI: 11.8-39.3%) and 11.4% (95% CI: 3.9-26.6%) of samples, respectively. None of the DNA isolated from fleas was positive on TaqMan qPCRs targeting the C. burnetii IS1111, Com1 and htpAB genes. Co-infection of C. felis with Bartonella henselae and Bartonella clarridgeiae was demonstrated using gltA and ssrA Illumina next-generation amplicon sequencing. These findings reinforce the importance of flea control on domestic dogs and cats to effectively control the transmission of Rickettsia felis and Bartonella spp. The flea, however, is unlikely to be a vector of C. burnetii between companion animals and humans.

Evaluation of a Dog Population Management Intervention: Measuring Indicators of Impact.

Dogs are important companions to people but can also present challenges to health and safety of communities if their populations are not effectively managed. Dog population management (DPM) is often undertaken by individual dog owners; however, some communities require additional DPM interventions, especially when veterinary services are unavailable or underutilised. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a DPM intervention conducted in 13 communities between September 2016 and November 2019 and assessed the utility of routinely collected data-program metrics and secondary data collected by local governments-to measure indicators of impacts. The intervention resulted in significant increases in the proportion of dogs presenting that were microchipped and surgically sterilised in participating communities. The intervention also resulted in significant reductions in dog attack incidents and euthanasia of dogs in council pounds in communities that participated for three or more years. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation of DPM interventions is critical to determine if impacts are being achieved. This study demonstrates the potential benefits of a DPM intervention for community safety and dog welfare and highlights the utility of routinely collected data. We also suggest benchmarks for indicators of community engagement to guide planning and monitoring of similar interventions.

"They Reckon They're Man's Best Friend and I Believe That." Understanding Relationships with Dogs in Australian Aboriginal Communities to Inform Effective Dog Population Management.

Dogs are important companions to people in many societies; however, dogs can also be associated with risks to public health and safety. Dog population management is therefore an important consideration globally. This study aimed to better understand the role of dogs in Aboriginal communities and the barriers to accessing veterinary services. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 85 dog owners from nine Aboriginal communities across New South Wales, Australia. Many positive aspects of dog ownership were identified and few negatives. Dogs are considered an important part of family and community life and many dogs are allowed indoors (63.4%), even sharing beds with their owners. Most dogs were kept for companionship (84.7%) and/or as guard dogs (45.9%) and all respondents considered their dog part of their family. However, respondents had low levels of engagement with mainstream veterinary services, and many respondents identified significant barriers to accessing veterinary services, especially cost and transport. This study demonstrates the important and positive role of dogs in Aboriginal families and communities but also highlights a significant veterinary service gap. Our findings demonstrate that different perspectives on the role of dogs necessitates a different, culturally inclusive approach to dog management interventions.

New insights on the epidemiology of Coxiella burnetii in pet dogs and cats from New South Wales, Australia.

Q fever is considered one of the most important zoonoses in Australia. Whilst ruminants are the primary reservoirs for Coxiella burnetii, and the major source of human infection, human cases have also been reported following contact with pet dogs and cats. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of seropositivity to, and bacterial shedding of, C. burnetii by pet dogs and cats in a region with a high human Q fever incidence and explore risk factors for C. burnetii exposure. Samples (serum, whole blood, reproductive tissue, reproductive swabs) and questionnaires (completed by the pet's owner) were collected from dogs and cats from eight communities across remote New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Overall 86/330 dogs (26.1%, 95% CI 21.3-30.8%) and 19/145 cats (13.1%, 95% CI 7.6-18.6%) were seropositive to C. burnetii. Seroprevalence varied significantly between communities and was highest in communities within 150 km of a 2015 human Q fever outbreak. Feeding raw kangaroo was identified as a risk factor for seropositivity (adjusted OR 3.37, 95% CI 1.21-9.43). Coxiella burnetii DNA was not detected from any dog or cat whole blood, reproductive tissue or vaginal/preputial swab using qPCR targeting the IS1111 and com1 genes. Our findings suggest that companion animals are frequently exposed to C. burnetii in western NSW. Geographical variation in C. burnetii seroprevalence amongst companion animals - which corresponds with a human Q fever outbreak - suggests a shared environmental source of infection is likely with important consequences for public and animal health. The lack of detection of C. burnetii DNA from healthy companion animals suggests that pet dogs and cats are not an important reservoir for human Q fever infection outside a narrow periparturient window.

Pig-hunting dogs are an at-risk population for canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) infection in eastern Australia.

BACKGROUND: Canine heartworm disease, caused by Dirofilaria immitis, has global veterinary importance. In Australia, the prevalence of canine heartworm infection decreased markedly following the introduction of over-the-counter macrocyclic lactones. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of canine heartworm infection in at-risk populations of dogs in eastern Australia and analyse published prevalence data from Australia. METHODS: In total, 566 dogs from eastern Australia were tested for the presence of D. immitis antigen. Four cohorts were studied: pig-hunting dogs from Queensland (Cohort 1, n = 104), dogs from remote New South Wales (NSW) (Cohort 2, n = 332), urban pets from rural NSW (Cohort 3, n = 45) and ex-racing Greyhounds from Sydney, NSW (Cohort 4, n = 85). Serum samples were screened for D. immitis antigen using a reference laboratory microwell-based assay (DiroChek®) or a point-of-care immunochromatography test kit (Anigen Rapid®). Risk factors associated with the odds of D. immitis antigen seropositivity were identified using binary logistic regression models. Seropositive blood samples were tested for the presence and quantity of D. immitis DNA using a species specific real-time (q)PCR assay. A metanalysis of the Australian canine heartworm literature was conducted. RESULTS: The prevalence of dirofilariasis in pig-hunting dogs from Queensland (Cohort 1) was 12.5% (95% CI: 6.5-18.9%), with a subpopulation of dogs from Central Queensland having a prevalence of 21% (95% CI: 12.3-33.4%). Age was significantly associated with D. immitis antigen seropositivity (increased risk with increased age). The odds of being > 5 years versus ≤ 5 years was 3.7-times (95% CI: 1.1-12.5) greater in antigen positive versus antigen negative dogs. No D. immitis antigen positive dogs were detected in dogs from NSW (Cohorts 2-4). The Australian canine heartworm disease literature includes 98 peer-reviewed publications (1901-2019) with 30 studies reporting on D. immitis prevalence in dogs. Throughout the publication peak period (1980s), the primary antemortem diagnostic test was detection of microfilariae. CONCLUSIONS: Canine heartworm infection in dogs used for pig hunting is a previously unexplored topic in Australia. Pig-hunting dogs are infected with canine heartworm in Queensland, Australia, placing pet dogs and cats at increased risk of infection.

Commensal Staphylococci Including Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus from Dogs and Cats in Remote New South Wales, Australia.

Staphylococci are important opportunistic pathogens in human and veterinary medicine in addition to being part of the normal flora of the skin and mucous membranes of mammals and birds. The rise of antimicrobial resistance amongst staphylococci warrants closer investigation of the diversity of skin commensal organisms-including coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS)-due to their potential as a source of resistance genes. This study is aimed at characterising the commensal staphylococci-including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus species (spp.)-from mucocutaneous sites of dogs and cats from remote New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Pet dogs and cats were recruited from participants in a community companion animal health programme in six communities in western NSW. Three swabs were collected from each animal (anterior nares, oropharynx, and perineum) and from skin lesions or wounds if present and cultured on selective media for Staphylococcus spp. In total, 383 pets (303 dogs, 80 cats) were enrolled. Staphylococcus spp. were isolated from 67.3% of dogs and 73.8% of cats (494 isolates). The diversity of CoNS was high (20 species) whilst only three coagulase-positive spp. were isolated (S. pseudintermedius, S. aureus, S. intermedius). The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriage in dogs was high (2.6%) relative to other studies but was only a small proportion of overall commensal staphylococci. No cats carried MRSA and no MRSP was isolated from either species. Dogs were significantly more likely to carry coagulase-positive staphylococci than cats (P < 0.001). Amongst dogs, males and those with skin lesions were more likely to carry S. pseudintermedius. This study highlights important differences in the diversity and patterns of carriage of commensal staphylococci between dogs and cats in remote NSW, Australia.

The brown dog tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu Roberts, 1965 across Australia: Morphological and molecular identification of R. sanguineus s.l. tropical lineage.

The brown dog tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille, 1806) is the most widely distributed tick species globally. Throughout the world there are at least two divergent lineages on dogs that are traditionally grouped into what was known as R. sanguineus. The species R. sanguineus was recently redescribed using a neotype reported from countries with a temperate climate. The second lineage distributed in countries with primarily tropical climates is currently designated R. sanguineus s.l. tropical lineage. Here, we present a comprehensive genetic evaluation of Australian brown dog ticks from across the continent that complements the morphological study of R. sanguineus sensu Roberts (1965). A total of 294 ticks were collected from dogs around Australia - including New South Wales, Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia - for morphological identification. All ticks were morphologically identified as R. sanguineus sensu Roberts (1965). DNA was isolated from a single leg from morphologically characterised individuals from New South Wales (n = 14), Queensland (n = 18), Northern Territory (n = 7) and Western Australia (n = 13), together with ticks from Fiji (n = 1) and the Seychelles (n = 1) for comparison with Australian ticks. The study revealed three cox1 haplotypes clustered only with R. sanguineus s.l. tropical lineage'. An updated distribution of R. sanguineus sensu Roberts (1965) is compared to the 1965 distribution. In the Australian context, R. sanguineus s.l. has appeared in north-western New South Wales but remains absent from coastal New South Wales. Despite both temperate and tropical climates being present in Australia, only R. sanguineus s.l. tropical lineage was found. The evidence does not support the presence of the strictly defined brown dog tick, R. sanguineus by Nava et al. (2018) in Australia, because the examined ticks are genetically and morphologically distinct. We recommend using the term brown dog tick, R. sanguineus sensu Roberts (1965) for specimens from Australia.

Molecular characterization of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from pet dogs.

Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a serious public health concern and in Australia, one that disproportionately affects Aboriginal people. Paralleling MRSA in human medicine, methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP) is an increasingly prevalent pathogen in veterinary medicine. We aimed to characterize the carriage of MRSA and MRSP in dogs and cats from predominantly Aboriginal communities in a very remote region of New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Pets (303 dogs and 80 cats) were recruited from six communities in western NSW. Three swabs were collected from each animal (anterior nares, oropharynx and perineum) and from skin lesions or wounds (if present) and cultured on selective media for methicillin-resistant staphylococci. Human host-adapted community-associated MRSA representing four multilocus sequence types (ST1-IV, ST5-IV, ST72-IV, ST93-IV) were isolated from eight dogs (prevalence 2.6%, 95% confidence interval 1.3%-5.1%). Two ST5-IV isolates from a single dog were phenotypically trimethoprim-resistant, harbouring trimethoprim-resistant gene dfrG within the SCCmec type IVo mobile genetic element. MRSA was not isolated from any cats and MRSP was not isolated from any dogs or cats. This study estimated a high prevalence of human host-adapted community-associated MRSA carriage in dogs despite an absence of MRSP. This suggests MRSA carried by dogs in remote NSW originate from human hosts. The cycle of transmission between people, dogs and common environmental sources warrants further investigation. To our knowledge, this is the first report of trimethoprim-resistant ST5-IV in eastern Australia and the first report of trimethoprim-resistant ST5-IV from a dog.

Tawny frogmouths and brushtail possums as sentinels for Angiostrongylus cantonensis, the rat lungworm.

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of angiostrongylosis in tawny frogmouths (Podargus strigoides) and brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) with signs of neurological disease, and to describe the clinicopathological features of angiostrongylosis in both species. Tawny frogmouths and brushtail possums with signs of neurological disease were sampled from the Sydney metropolitan area between October 1998 and June 2010. Samples from 100 tawny frogmouths and 31 brushtail possums from the Australian Registry of Wildlife Health (ARWH), the Wildlife Assistance and Information Foundation (WAIF) and Wildlife Health and Conservation Centre (WHCC), University of Sydney were examined. Histological examinations of the brain, spinal cord and other available tissues were used to characterize the disease responsible for each animal's clinical signs. Of the 100 tawny frogmouths with neurological disease examined, angiostrongylosis was considered responsible in 80 (80%), traumatic injury in 17 (17%), protozoal infection in 3 (3%) and other diseases in 2 (2%) and the cause of clinical signs was unknown in 10 (10%). Eleven tawny frogmouths presenting with neurological signs associated with head trauma had concurrent angiostrongylosis. Of the 31 brushtail possums, Wobbly Possum Syndrome (WPS) was diagnosed in 21 (68%), angiostrongylosis in 4 (13%) and other diseases in the remaining 6 (19%). Angiostrongylosis was overrepresented in hand reared juvenile possums. Cases of angiostrongylosis in tawny frogmouths followed a strong seasonal pattern peaking through late summer and autumn. The results confirm that Angiostrongylus cantonensis is endemic in Sydney, Australia and that tawny frogmouths could be important sentinels for this zoonotic parasite.