title: Smartphone and GPS technology for free-roaming dog population surveillance - a methodological study.
abstract: Free-roaming dogs (FRD) represent a potential threat to the quality of life in cities from an ecological, social and public health point of view. One of the most urgent concerns is the role of uncontrolled dogs as reservoirs of infectious diseases transmittable to humans and, above all, rabies. An estimate of the FRD population size and characteristics in a given area is the first step for any relevant intervention programme. Direct count methods are still prominent because of their non-invasive approach, information technologies can support such methods facilitating data collection and allowing for a more efficient data handling. This paper presents a new framework for data collection using a topological algorithm implemented as ArcScript in ESRI® ArcGIS software, which allows for a random selection of the sampling areas. It also supplies a mobile phone application for Android® operating system devices which integrates Global Positioning System (GPS) and Google MapsTM. The potential of such a framework was tested in 2 Italian regions. Coupling technological and innovative solutions associated with common counting methods facilitate data collection and transcription. It also paves the way to future applications, which could support dog population management systems.
authors.affiliation: Queen's University Belfast, School of Psychology, Belfast, BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Shanis
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barnard
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ippoliti
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Di Flaviano
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Ruvo
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Messori
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giovannini
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dalla Villa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D006702:Homing Behavior; D007558:Italy; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D011996:Records; D000068997:Smartphone; D014505:Urban Population