Background
Free-roaming dog populations are widespread throughout the Pacific, with negative impacts on animal health, local wildlife, public health, and community safety. Despite efforts by government authorities and animal welfare organisations, existing management approaches—including culling, rehoming, and small-scale desexing—have not achieved sustained population-level change. Effective management requires an understanding of the size, demographics, and dynamic processes influencing dog populations, alongside robust frameworks to monitor change. This study outlines a pilot framework to generate baseline data on dog populations and the human behaviours influencing their dynamics.

Methods
A cross-sectional, door-to-door knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) survey was conducted alongside street dog counts using photographic mark–resight methodology to estimate the size and dynamics of owned and free-roaming dog populations.

Results
High rates of community dog feeding were observed alongside limited confinement of owned dogs and low desexing rates. Despite generally positive attitudes and knowledge of responsible ownership practices, uptake of preventive care, including parasite control and deworming, remained low, indicating a clear value–action gap. Support for culling and uptake of surrender or adoption services was also low, suggesting misalignment between current management strategies and community values.

Conclusion
Findings indicate that existing management approaches are unlikely to achieve sustained impact as they do not adequately address the human behaviours maintaining free-roaming dog populations. Community feeding, caregiver behaviour, and partially owned roaming dogs represent key subpopulations not effectively targeted by current interventions. The observed gap between knowledge and practice has implications for public health, including zoonotic disease risk. This study establishes a baseline for monitoring and evaluation of dog population management and provides a framework adaptable for broader epidemiological applications, including zoonotic disease investigations. Strengthened integration with human health and environmental sectors is needed to support coordinated, evidence-based One Health outcomes.