Wild Animals

Dingo Management: Welfare Ethics in Australian Context

Dingoes are managed as pests in many parts of Australia using methods including baiting and trapping that raise serious welfare concerns, while their ecological role as apex predators is increasingly recognized.

Key Facts

Welfare Considerations

Lethal control methods for dingoes including poisoning and trapping cause significant suffering. Sodium fluoroacetate causes convulsions, distress, and a prolonged death. Leg-hold traps can cause injury and prolonged suffering before death or recapture. Non-lethal livestock protection methods including guardian animals and exclusion fencing can reduce lethal control needs.

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