Title : The Bariloche model: Municipal governance for urban animal health and zoonotic disease prevention
Abstract:
Urban companion animals play a significant role in the epidemiology of several infectious and zoonotic diseases. In many cities, unequal access to veterinary services and insufficient population control strategies may contribute to the persistence of zoonotic risks. Strengthening veterinary public health programs at the municipal level can therefore play an important role in disease prevention and epidemiological surveillance.
This study presents the Bariloche Model of Urban Animal Health, a municipal public health strategy implemented by the Municipality of San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina, through the program Sanidad Animal + Cerca. The model integrates veterinary public health services, ethical population management, community engagement and applied epidemiological research to address urban animal health challenges and reduce zoonotic disease risks.
The program operates through territorial veterinary interventions delivered directly in city neighborhoods using mobile veterinary units. These interventions include large-scale sterilization campaigns for dogs and cats, rabies vaccination, internal and external parasite control and basic veterinary health assessments. By bringing veterinary services closer to communities, the program improves access to preventive care and strengthens early detection of potential public health concerns.
In addition to preventive services, the program incorporates epidemiological research initiatives aimed at generating local scientific data. These initiatives include a canine brucellosis epidemiological study, based on blood sampling of more than 200 dogs undergoing surgical sterilization through the municipal program, parasite prevalence studies in urban dog populations and community surveys assessing knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding rabies prevention.
The program also addresses broader urban animal management challenges, including the management of free-roaming horses in urban areas through capture, veterinary recovery and responsible adoption programs, as well as rehabilitation and responsible adoption initiatives for animals rescued from abuse or involved in bite incidents.
By combining veterinary services, epidemiological data collection and community participation, the Bariloche Model demonstrates how municipal animal health programs can function as local platforms for zoonotic disease prevention and surveillance. This experience highlights the strategic role that local governments can play in strengthening integrated approaches to infectious disease prevention within the One Health framework
