SOBREPOBLACIóN CANINA Y FELINA: TENDENCIAS Y NUEVAS PERSPECTIVAS

through a systematic review of literature comprising publications between 1973 and 2009, the following databases were consulted: science direct, ebsco, springer link and medline. key words used included stray dogs, animal-human bond, pet population, overpopulation and population control. the databases of the world society for the protection of animals (wspa) and the international organization of epizootics (oie) were also consulted. the objective of the present review was to present a critical position about the pet overpopulation problem, cultural perception and relationships between human and animals, and failures associated with this relationship with the purpose of establishing possible solutions to the problem taking into consideration cultural issues. a total of 16 references were found, which, we applied the inclusion and exclusion criteria. articles that met these criteria are those that constitute the unit of analysis of this review. as the knowledge about responsible ownership of pets is increased, the bond with them is enhanced. only through health education, it is possible to acquire the necessary knowledge needed to avoid failures with respect to proper keeping. in this respect the veterinarian plays a pivotal role with his community.