Enhancing access to neutering services for dogs and cats in a Brazilian city with a large animal population

Abstract

In One Health context, ensuring animal access to veterinary services is crucial. Unfortunately, many communities lack such services, highlighting the need for subsidized options. Our study aimed to evaluate free access to the Canine and Feline Surgical Neutering Service in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, a city with a large animal population. We also sought to propose actions for enhancing access and develop evaluation indicators. To assess individual access, we employed a logistic model, using service scheduling data from 2012 to 2018. Regional access was evaluated through the Three-Step Floating Catchment Area (3SFCA) method, incorporating data on neutering availability and estimated animal population by Coverage Area for 2012, 2015, and 2018. Our findings indicated that male animal owners were more likely to drop out compared to those with female dogs. Waiting time emerged as a significant obstacle, with an odds ratio of 1.2 per month of waiting, as well as the Health Vulnerability Index (HVI) of the Coverage Area. Although areas of higher vulnerability faced a greater risk of dropouts, we observed "resistance" in these areas, suggesting lower access to private veterinary services for tutors. The spatial access index demonstrated that most areas had a supply capacity exceeding more than 5 %. However, a general reduction in the index occurred in 2018, owing to disproportionate population growth relative to service availability between 2015 and 2018. There was a gradual reduction in inequality in spatial access between areas with different levels of vulnerability, however, areas of very high vulnerability presented significantly lower access than others. Based on our results, we recommend adopting policies that prioritize areas with higher vulnerability, focusing on differentiated supply and waiting time to enhance access. Additionally, identifying the capacity to offer private veterinary services and gathering detailed information on the population dynamics of dogs and cats in the municipality would facilitate a more accurate application of the 3SFCA method in planning neutering services offered by the subsidized veterinary service in Belo Horizonte.