Investigating the Attitudes of Karaj Residents Towards Stray Dogs
Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 دانشگاه تهران
2 University of Tehran
3 Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, College of Agricultural Economics and Development, University of Tehran-Karaj-Iran.
Abstract
Invasive species are one of the main threats to biodiversity and an influential factor in the extinction of wildlife. Dogs are one of the most common invasive species, and due to their large population in the city and the creation of conflicts with humans, the management of this species is associated with problems. Considering the sensitivities of the society towards dogs, gaining a correct understanding of the attitude of the native people is one of the first steps in managing the population of this species. In this study, the attitude of people living in Karaj city towards stray dogs was evaluated using a questionnaire and through face-to-face interviews. A total of 500 questionnaires were collected through simple random sampling. Based on the results obtained from the one-way analysis of variance test, people with different educational levels are completely similar in terms of their attitude towards stray dogs. Also, the results of the independent t-test to investigate the difference in attitude of pet owners and non-owners towards stray dogs, showed that pet owners have different views compared to non-owners. The results of One Sample T-test showed considering that people believe that the presence of stray dogs reduces their well-being, they are not interested in their presence in the city. Finally, according to the findings of this research, it is recommended to take measures such as increasing information about feeding stray dogs through mass media, communicating with people about the negative ecological effects of dogs, to attract public support and provide Effective management strategies should be used to control their population.
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