Free-ranging dogs and cats on the Oak Ridge Reservation: Situation and solution

Technical Report · Sat Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1989

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6201004· OSTI ID:6201004

Greenberg, C. H.

The free-ranging cat and dog population on the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) was evaluated because of concern about the possibility of attacks on humans, the transmittal of disease, the impact on native ORR wildlife, and nuisance problems. Intensive trapping, scent-line transects, surveys of employee opinion at Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., and reports of free-ranging dog and cat sightings revealed that (1) the greatest population concentration is near major roads and buildings; (2) no incidents involving attacks or disease transmission to humans were reported (although harassment of humans by dogs was reported); (3) most Energy Systems employees regard the free-ranging dog and cat population as a nuisance problem, and only 8.1% regard the situation as severe. Recommendations to reduce this problem include: make attractive sites (sanitary landfills) inaccessible; repair exclosures along the ORR boundary; inform pet owners of and enforce laws regarding free-ranging pets; and create a system for reporting sightings and incidents and designate a person(s) to be responsible for responding to such reports. 31 refs., 3 figs., 5 tabs.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 6201004
• Report Number(s): ORNL/TM-11081; ON: DE89012931
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

570000* -- Health & Safety
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
ANIMALS
BUILDINGS
CAPTURE
CATS
COYOTES
DEER
DISEASES
DOGS
HAZARDS
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
MAMMALS
MAN
MANAGEMENT
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES
OAK RIDGE RESERVATION
PRIMATES
RABBITS
RABIES
ROADS
RODENTS
RUMINANTS
SAFETY
TRAPPING
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
VERTEBRATES
VIRAL DISEASES