Prevalence of Pet Dog Ownership in an Urban Colony of East Delhi and Awareness Regarding Canine Zoonotic Diseases and Responsible Pet Ownership among Dog Owners

BACKGROUND: India has lowly prioritized pet-associated zoonosis as a public health priority because data regarding the same and the susceptible population involved are sparse. OBJECTIVE: To find the proportion of pet dog ownership in a settled urban colony of East Delhi and to assess awareness regarding canine zoonotic diseases and responsible pet ownership. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study of 700 participants in an urban colony of East Delhi. RESULTS: The proportion of pet dog owners was 5.4%. Only one-third (34.2%) of the respondents were aware that pets are a source of disease. A majority of pet owners (86.8%) identified rabies as a disease caused by the bite of only stray dogs. The proportion of responsible pet owners was 39.4%. Only one-tenth of surveyed households had registered their pet with the local municipal authorities, despite such registration being a compulsory requirement by law. CONCLUSION: This study provides us with a better understanding of the lacunae in awareness of zoonotic diseases and its preventive measures among pet owners. All pet owners have a responsibility to ensure that their pets are healthy and free from disease.