animals Article Causal Loop Analysis Can Identify Solutions to Complex Dog Management Problems in Remote Australian Aboriginal Communities Brooke P. A. Kennedy 1,* , Wendy Y. Brown 1 and James R.A. Butler 2 1 School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2353, Australia;
[email protected] 2 CSIRO Land & Water, GPO Box 2583, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia;
[email protected] * Correspondence:
[email protected] Simple Summary: Population and health management of dogs and cats in remote communities is challenging due to limited access to veterinary services and high reproductive rates. Financial support for companion animal management within communities is limited and programs delivered by external providers rarely achieve sustainable outcomes. An alternative approach, whereby community participation is enlisted from the beginning before implementing any interventions, may help to achieve sustainable improvements in animal populations and to improve animal health. To this end, stakeholders were interviewed and it was determined that dog overpopulation was the overarching issue. Focus group discussions were then conducted with three of the four same stakeholder groups to uncover the main causes of this issue, followed by solutions being generated that the community could undertake to address the issue. Similar causes were discussed and multiple solutions were developed, with education and training prioritised as the top solutions by all three groups. These will require transformational social adaptations to build the capacity of the local Citation: Kennedy, B.P.A.; Brown, community to implement the solutions. W.Y.; Butler, J.R.A. Causal Loop Analysis Can Identify Solutions to Abstract: Companion animal management in Australian remote Aboriginal communities (rAcs) is Complex Dog Management Problems a complex problem with multiple stakeholders involved, with differing needs, knowledge, power in Remote Australian Aboriginal Communities.