Animal Welfare

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Animal Welfare

• Dr. Joanne M. Roesner, DVM DAVBP

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Animal Welfare

• Homelessness
• Feral Cates an example of homelessness
• Shelters
• Responsible Pet ownership training
• Spay/Neuter
• Animal Cruelty

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I. Homelessness

• Stray animals are a direct result of human lack
  of responsibility in pet ownership.
• Most stray animals are never recovered from
  shelters and are euthanized.
• Euthanasia is the leading cause of death for
  healthy homeless pets.
• Only 15 of dogs and owners from shelters.

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Homelessness

• Sterilization of pets, permanent identification
  of pets (microchips) and appropriate confinement
  will ultimately be the solution for homelessness.

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Homelessness

• Homeless pets exhibit behaviors which impact
  society negatively(e.g. fighting, urine spraying,
  roaming).
• Homeless pets are a potential reservoir of
  disease for man (especially rabies) and for owned
  pets (e.g. FIV, Ehrlichea).

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II. Feral Cats an example of homelessness

• Are domesticated species returned to the wild
• Are not fully equipt to live in the wild and
  succumb to disease and injury
• Very short life span 2-3 years compared to 12
  years for owned, cared for cats
• They survive but do not thrive

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Feral Cats

• Feral cats are a huge part of the feline
  overpopulation problem!
• An estimated 30-60 million cats are feral in the
  USA.

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Feral Cats

• Feral cats are a direct result of irresponsible
  pet ownership!

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Feral Cats

• If feral cats are trapped and removed (I.e.
  euthanized), often the colony reforms from more
  ferals moving into the area.
• Spay/Neuter and release may result in a stable,
  non-reproductive colony. (AlleyCat_at_allies.org)

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Feral Cats

• Feral cats, due to their fear, can be dangerous
  to handle. They should be humanely trapped
  without efforts to handle and taken to a facility
  with experienced personnel.

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Feral Cats

• Attempting to re-domesticate a feral is a long
  and painstaking process. Often these cats remain
  fearful and insecure around people even though
  they may eventually tolerate human touch.

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III. Shelters

• Three Types
• Rabies Control Government run, Euthanasia if
  not reclaimed, fewer adoptions.
• Traditional open admission, private funding
  often related to Humane Society or other
  organization. Adoptions are encouraged,
  Euthanasia is utilized.
• No-Kill Limited admission, adoption is utilized
  for any suitable pets, Euthanasia is minimal or
  not practiced.
• There are 4000-6000 shelters in the US.

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Shelters

• 8-12 million animals per year are turned into
  shelters.
• More than 4-6 million of these are euthanized.
• Unwanted litters are the main reason for animal
  relinquishment to shelter.

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Shelters

• Main source of pet turn in are behavioral
  problems. 9avoid via training, appropriate
  expectations and pre-adoption counseling!)
• 15 of shelter population is from owner turn in.

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Shelters

• Relinquished pets
• 25-30 of dogs are purebred, 6 of cats are
  purebred.
• 3-5 years old.
• Most are unspayed or unneutered.
• 27 of dogs and 36.5 of cats are primarily
  outdoor pets.

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Shelters

• Owner turn in was less likely if owner had read a
  book or other educational material, had a DVM or
  went to obedience training.

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Shelters
10 top Reasons for Owner Turn In

• Dog
• Moving
• Landlord
• Cost
• No time for pet
• Inadequate facilities
• Too many pets
• Pet illness
• Biting
• No home for littermates

• Cat
• Too many cats
• Allergy
• Moving
• Cost
• Landlord
• No home for litter
• Personal Problem
• Pet ill
• Inadequate facilities

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Shelters

• Only 15-20 of pets in the USA come from shelters.

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Shelters

• Success of efforts to control animal
  overpopulation hinge on increasing public
  awareness of shelters as a source of pets and
  sterilizing pets to avoid unintentional litters.

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Shelters

• Pet Population Control
• Increase sterilization
• Increase pet retention in homes
• Increase adoption from shelters
• Increase laws to promote responsible pet ownership

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Shelters

• Germany, Norway and Sweden, in spite of not
  routinely spaying and neutering, have NO problem
  with pet retention.
• Responsible pet ownership is the norm and the law
  in these countries.

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Shelters

• Shelter Success depends on
• Volunteers
• Foster Homes
• Off-Site adoptions
• Public access to shelters
• Pre-release sterilization
• Work with local veterinary community
• Marketing
• Fund Raising

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Shelters

• As pet overpopulation is addressed successfully,
  shelters can move more into a role of championing
  animal well being.

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IV. Responsible Pet Ownership

• Pets are a lifetime commitment.

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Responsible Pet Ownership

• Educate yourself on the best pet for your
  situation prior to obtaining a pet.
• Establish a relationship with a DVM who is
  willing to educate you about your specific pets
  behavioral and life needs.
• All dogs should undergo obedience training.

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Responsible Pet Ownership

• Do not exceed the number of pets you can
  financially and emotionally care for.

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Responsible Pet Ownership

• Consider environmental and lifestage (e.g. will
  you move away to go to college) constraints when
  choosing a suitable pet.

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Responsible Pet Ownership

• Pet needs are more than food, water and shelter.
• Can you give adequate medical care?
• Do you have sufficient emotional and time
  resources?

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Responsible Pet Ownership

• AAHA estimates large to medium dogs require 20
  minutes of aerobic exercise plus 3-4 walks daily.
  
• HSUS most of behaviors resulting in pets being
  turned into shelters are due to lack of exercise
  and training.

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Responsible Pet Ownership

• SPAY AND NEUTER YOUR PETS!!!

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V. Spay and Neuter

• Cats If
• 2 litters per year
• 2.8 out of 4 live
• 10 years breeding life
• Then 1 cat could result in 80,399,730 cats.
• (e.g. 1 year - 12
• 2nd year - 68
• 3rd year - 382
• And on and on.)

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Spay and Neuter

• Dogs If
• 1.5 2 litters per year
• 6-10 pups
• Then 1 dog in 6 years could result in 67,000 dogs

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Spay and Neuter

• Puppies and kittens born in owned home settings
  take homes away from shelter pets.
• Think carefully if you make a choice to breed a
  pet!

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Spay and Neuter

• Spay/Neuter benefits
• Behavioral - decrease roaming, fighting, urine
  marking.
• Decreased disease female - pyometra, mammary
  cancer, vaginal hyperplasia
• Decreased disease male testicular cancer,
  prostatic disease, perineal hernia.

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Spay and Neuter

• Remember Unwanted litters are a major source of
  turn ins to shelters.

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Spay and Neuter

• 71 million owned cats estimated in USA
• Varies by location but between 30-90 of these
  are spayed.

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Spay and Neuter

• Remember 30-60 million homeless cats in USA.
  Most of these are not sterilized.

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VI. Animal Cruelty

• Defined mistreatment that is malicious,
  deliberate and repeated.
• Abuse satisfaction from dominance
• Neglect passive maltreatment
• Cruelty satisfaction from suffering

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Animal Cruelty

• Animal abuse and neglect may result from
  inadequate resources or training and therefore
  may be preventable.

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Animal Cruelty

• Animal cruelty may be a precursor of human
  cruelty. (Serial murderers often begin with
  animal torture before moving on to human victims)

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Animal Cruelty

• Animal cruelty may be a marker of family
  violence. Children who are abused may abuse
  family pets in a similar fashion.

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Animal Cruelty

• It is our responsibility to report animal cruelty
  and neglect!

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Animal Cruelty

• Laws vary from state to state on how and where to
  report Start with local law enforcement
  officials.
• Only 15 states have felony animal cruelty
  statutes.

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Animal Cruelty

• Dog Fighting
• Legal to be a spectator is most states
• Maximum penalty in GA for staging a dog fight is
  5000 fine, 5 years incarceration. 3 states only
  misdemeanor.
• Promotes illegal drugs and gambling.
• Huge profit to organizers.

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Animal Cruelty

• Dog Fighting
• Dogs are trained using bait animals (small
  dogs, cats, rabbits) which they kill.
• Bait animals are often stolen pets!

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Animal Cruelty

• Cock Fights
• Legal in 3 states (NM, OK, LA)
• Laws in GA similar to those for dog fighting.

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Animal Cruelty

• Spectators at staged animal fights should be
  prosecuted!