Lily Poulino¹, Jaja Lewis Khamis², Ammar A.H. Ahmed⁶, Jubara Ambrose Samuel⁴, Ochi Erneo Bernardo⁵ and Adill MA. Salman³

¹Lecturer in the Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Juba, South Sudan
²Professor of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine-University of Juba, South Sudan
³Professor of Epidemiology, University of Bhri, One Health Centre, Sudan
⁴Professor of Gynecology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Upper Nile, South Sudan
⁵Professor of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Science, University of Bhar El-Ghazal, South Sudan
⁶Lecturer, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bahri, Sudan

*Corresponding Author: Adill MASalman, Professor of Epidemiology ,University of Bhri, One Health Centre, Sudan.

Received: April 29, 2025; Published: May 20, 2025

Abstract

Free-roaming dogs pose a significant public health hazard in developing countries, including Juba, South Sudan, where rabies is endemic. Understanding the core demographic characteristics and population size of domestic dogs is crucial for designing and implementing effective zoonotic disease control and dog population management programs. The presence of roaming dogs in public spaces presents serious threats to public health and safety, contributes to environmental pollution, and raises animal welfare concerns. The aim of this study was to estimate the population size and demographic structure of domestic dogs in Juba City, South Sudan.
A cross-sectional demographic survey was conducted using direct dog count methods for both owned and free-roaming dogs across six selected study areas known for high dog populations. A total of 3,473 dogs were identified, of which 3,051 were owned and 422 were classified as free-roaming.
The demographic structure revealed that 88.5% of the dogs were male, with the majority being of local breed. Age distribution showed that most dogs were adults aged 1–3 years for both owned and free-roaming groups (59.8% and 57.5%, respectively). A small proportion of owned dogs were sterilized, with 3.1% castrated and 5.3% spayed. Most free-roaming dogs (77.2%) were in good body condition, and all were intact. Demographic distribution indicated that the highest population of owned dogs was found in Gurei (27.2%) and Gudele (25.1%), while the highest number of free-roaming dogs was recorded in Kator (20.0%) and Gudele (19.4%).
The data presented in this paper are essential for informing authorities in planning effective intervention programs for dog population control and zoonotic disease prevention.

Keywords: Demographic Characteristics; Owned and Free-Roaming Dogs; Juba; South Sudan

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Citation

Citation: Adill MASalman., et al. “Demographic Dynamics of Owned and Free-Roaming Dogs in Juba City, Central Equatoria State, South Sudan".Acta Scientific Veterinary Sciences 7.6 (2025): 19-26.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Adill MASalman., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.