Reservoirs: Canines
Coyotes (Canis latrans)
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Domesticated Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris)
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Feral dogs (Canis familiaris)
- Feral dogs are wild canines that are descendants of domestic dogs (Figure 4). They are not dependent of humans, but live near people who have abandoned dogs. Canis familiaris are distributed in North America, Europe, Africa, Australia, and the Galapagos. They inhabit shortgrass plains, semi-desert, bushy savannas and upland forest (Green & Gipson, 1994).
- New generations of feral dogs are born during late September or early October and they exist in a pack. They form a social network among other feral dog species and can often interbreed between different packs (Green & Gipson, 1994).
- Similar to coyotes, feral dogs are opportunistic feeders and usually prey on animals are their convenience. They can feed on small and large domestic livestock, road-killed animals, vegetation, and fruits. Usually, feral dogs are active during dawn, dusk, and at night when humans are least present, meaning they are both diurnal and nocturnal (Green & Gipson, 1994).
- Feral dogs often carry multiple diseases including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, scabies, ringworm, and toxoplasmosis. These disease can pose a threat to domestic dogs and can transmit rabies and Canine distemper (Bergman, 2009).
References Cited
Bergman, D, Breck, S, Bender, S, 2009. Dogs gone wild: feral dog damage in the United States. USDA National Wildlife Research Center Staff Publications. Paper 862.
Brickner, I. 2000. The impact of domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) on wildlife welfare and conservation: a literature review.
Green, J.S. and Gipson, P.S., Feral Dogs. (1994). The Handbook: Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage. Paper 35.
Bergman, D, Breck, S, Bender, S, 2009. Dogs gone wild: feral dog damage in the United States. USDA National Wildlife Research Center Staff Publications. Paper 862.
Brickner, I. 2000. The impact of domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) on wildlife welfare and conservation: a literature review.
Green, J.S. and Gipson, P.S., Feral Dogs. (1994). The Handbook: Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage. Paper 35.