African wild dogs are among the world's most endangered large carnivores, with welfare threatened by habitat loss, snare trapping, disease, and human-wildlife conflict.
African wild dog welfare suffers from both direct and indirect human impacts. Snare injuries cause serious pain and often fatal infection in animals that may survive for days or weeks trapped. Disease outbreaks in small isolated populations can kill entire packs, representing the sudden welfare harm and death of tightly bonded social groups. Human-wildlife conflict results in retaliatory killing. Conservation efforts that maintain large connected habitats, control domestic dog disease transmission, and remove snares provide the greatest welfare benefit.