African wild dogs are highly social canids living in cooperative packs, facing threats from habitat loss, disease, and human-wildlife conflict that compromise both individual and group welfare.
African wild dogs are deeply social animals whose welfare is inseparable from pack integrity. Separation of individuals — through snaring, roadkill, or disease — disrupts coordinated care and can destabilize the entire group. Snare injuries cause prolonged suffering, often leaving dogs unable to hunt or keep pace with the pack. Disease transmission from village dogs represents a significant and largely preventable welfare threat. Conservation programs that vaccinate domestic dog populations, remove snares, and compensate farmers for livestock losses address both welfare and conservation goals simultaneously. Maintaining large, connected habitat corridors is essential for packs to sustain the social structure that underpins their welfare and survival.