Human and hunting dog interactions in the united states: Insights into potential Zoonotic disease and highly pathogenic avian influenza virus transmission

As identification of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) outbreaks in mammals increase, there is a growing concern over potential transmission between humans and animals, especially hunting dogs that retrieve waterfowl. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of bird hunters to characterize hunting practices, interactions between humans and their hunting dogs, disease prevention practices, and contact between their hunting dogs and other dogs. Descriptive statistics were produced from the survey to summarize human-dog interactions and hunting practices. A majority of participants viewed their hunting dog as part of the family. However, few participants used personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling either a sick dog or harvested birds. This study provides unique insights into human-hunting dog interactions, which are critical to defining risks for pathogen transmission between hunting dogs and humans, and implementing preventive measures to mitigate those risks.