Benutzer:Anka Friedrich/FamilDg

„In 1988, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified dogs (Canis familiaris) in four categories according to their dependence (or lack of it) on humans (WHO, 1988; Perry, 1993): (a) restricted dog: fully dependent and fully restricted by humans, (b) family dog: fully dependent and semi-restricted, (c) neighbourhood dog: semi-dependent and either semi-restricted or unrestricted, and (d) feral dog: independent and unrestricted. The term ‘‘stray dog’’ was removed from official vocabulary because it was considered misleading, and WHO recommends using it only for dogs ‘‘not in compliance with local regulations,’’ such as lost, abandoned or free-roaming dogs. The intent of this classification was to help fight the spread of canine transmitted rabies in humans by targeting dogs most at risk of carrying the disease.

Classifying dogs in terms of their dependence on humans might be a uniquely western concept where it is generally assumed that all dogs are (or have been) owned by humans, and that they are either pets, working dogs, or strays that have escaped from human restrictions. In many parts of the world, however, such conditions do not exist or may not have yet developed. In fact, far from being uncommon, as many as 99% of dogs surveyed are free-roaming […]."