PDC was originally established as Painted Dog Research in 1992 by Gregory Rasmussen. During the first two years the human-induced carnage from snares, shooting and road kills accounted for 95% of all dog mortalities. Early public presentations showed prejudice and ignorance and it was clear that unless this situation was addressed, the species could become extinct. The initial emphasis was thus to identify the critical issues and develop a pragmatic and holistic strategy that would make a substantial, lasting contribution to Painted Dogs, nature conservation and, very importantly, to the lives of the local people.