Across the world, in communities where large free-roaming dog populations exist, the handling of individual dogs for vaccination, sterilisation or veterinary treatment can be a challenging task. Whilst people often feed free-roaming dogs, most dogs are not used to being restrained and when inappropriate attempts are made to do so, it can not only be stressful for the dogs but puts people at risk and increases the chances of dog bites.
Although several methods are used for catching free-roaming dogs, catching dogs in nets is considered the most effective and humane for dogs cannot be caught and restrained by hand. Traditional methods of capturing free-roaming dogs, including ropes and catch poles, can be traumatic for the dogs and have serious negative implications for the their short and long-term wellbeing. Alternative methods such as trap cages and darting may have their uses in certain situations, but they also have their limitations.
The welfare of the individual dogs and the safety of the animal handler must be the top priority in any rabies control or animal birth control (ABC) programme and should be considered during every stage of the catching and release process. Using nets to catch free-roaming dogs is a safe and humane approach that minimises stress and reduces the risk of injury to both the dog and the handler.