2001 RSPCA Australia Scientific Seminar
Pets or pests? The future of companion animal ownership
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Each year RSPCA Australia conducts a one-day
Seminar to examine a topical subject relating to animal welfare.
The 2001 Seminar examined current issues in companion animal
ownership, including the changing picture of pet ownership,
tackling the cycle of surrender and rehoming, and the consequences
of traditional practices in companion animal breeding.
Summaries of talks
The future
of companion animal ownership in Australia
Dr Hugh Wirth, President, RSPCA Australia
From the earliest of times humans have kept
animals as pets. A fascination with other living creatures and a
desire to possess them remain to this day the underlying reasons
for humans to keep pets.
The last century has seen the establishment of
animal shelters for stray animals, the development of dog control
legislation and an increase in the importance of pet ownership.
Through a greater appreciation of the human-companion animal bond,
the concept of Responsible Pet Ownership has evolved and
scientific research has established the positive effects of pets
on humans' mental and physical health.
As there is a shift towards single person
households and an ageing population, it is predicted that pet
ownership will increase. The effects of modern urban lifestyle on
pets and the ability of pet owners to provide an adequate
environment for them have yet to be properly understood and
addressed. Many people new to pet owning will lack the basic
background in the husbandry and behaviour of the animal they
choose as a pet. Who will look after the animals made victims by
these circumstances?
The animal welfare movement must now demand that
only sufficient numbers of suitable and sound companion animals to
meet community requirements are bred; that control laws address
all of the principles of responsible pet ownership; and that
disposal of unwanted animals includes re-housing programs as the
top priority with humane killing as a last resort.
The animal welfare movement must engage state and
local government authorities intelligently to ensure that laws
encouraging the proper control of dogs and cats are reasonably
well enforced, and that amenities are comfortably shared by
pet-owners and non-owners alike. Division within the animal
welfare movement is counter-productive. All animal welfare
societies need to engage in national and international debate on
the complex goals of the animal welfare movement and how best they
might now be achieved.
Companion animal management laws must contain the
fundamental requirements of licensing of individuals wishing to
own companion animals. The laws must be structured to ensure that
the companion animal owner is fully accountable for all breaches.
They should also include provisions for pre-purchase registration
(with a financial rebate for desexed animals), desexing,
identification of animals through microchipping and veterinary
health certification.
These laws must not only elevate the status of pet
ownership but acknowledge the role of companion animals in our
communities and the need to manage them responsibly. They must
also take management and responsibility squarely to the dog and
cat breeding industry, including backyard breeders, and all of
those who profit from pet ownership and regulate this through a
standardised Code of Practice for the industry.
Influences
on pet ownership
Tony Cooke, Pet Care Information and Advisory Service
Pet ownership is an integral facet of our lives as
Australians. As a society, most of us have been associated with a
pet at some time in our lives, and we wouldn't want it any other
way.
Australian society is dynamic. No longer does it
have the image of the "1960's" where society was largely
made up of the family with the house in the suburbs, large
backyard, kids and pets etc. The fabric of society is changing
rapidly, with higher populations of singles, couples with two
incomes and no kids and the empty nesters as the " baby
boomers" age. As society changes do the populations of pets
change also?
Pets contribute more than a simple lick, pat and
wag. We receive social, psychological, health and financial
benefits from our four legged friends. The pet care industry has
become a major contributor to the national economy to the value of
$3.3 billion dollars annually and also employs over 37 000 people
directly and indirectly.
Aside from the economics, pet owners would argue
that pets offer us so much more. They offer companionship, a
vector for meeting people, an exercise stimulus, they teach our
children responsibility; they give pleasure, love and are loved in
return. Recent research even shows that they even improve your
health. Pets are good for you!
By improving health pets translate into enormous
savings in the health budget. This has been estimated at $2.2
billion per year. Why then are bans and restrictions making it
more difficult to own pets?
Pet ownership has evolved from the mid 1900's. 95%
of us are more responsible as owners, more accountable for our
pet's actions and less tolerant of poor behaviour of pets. A joint
effort by the Welfare organisations, the Veterinary profession,
the Pet Care industry and the Australian Companion Animal Council
has promoted responsible pet ownership and helped domestic animals
evolve into Pets and not pests.
So the predictions for pet ownership in the
future…. As our lifestyles keep changing, and our understanding
our animal companions improve, we can hope that pets will remain
an integral source of pleasure in our Australian lives.
We know one thing will always stay the same….
The mutual Love, Loyalty and Companionship.
Why
animals are surrendered and what can be done to reduce surrender
rates
Dr Robert Stabler, Stabler Behaviour
Between April 1998 and October 1999, 1826 pet
owners including 454 cat owners and 1372 dog owners were asked to
fill out a surrender questionnaire form containing 30 questions
when they surrendered their pet. Some of the trends reported below
may be biased due to the fact that not all the questions were
completed by all the owners.
Pets were more likely to be surrendered by a man;
who was over the age of 50; a pet they had kept for less than one
year; had obtained free of charge from a friend; the pet was fed a
commercial diet; the yard was fenced and the owner had obtained
professional advice prior to surrender.
Surrendered Cats were more likely to be female,
black and white in colour and under three months of age. They were
more likely to be surrendered (in descending order of prevalence)
because owners had too many animals; pet was sick or too old;
owner was moving house or had a rental difficulty; nuisance
behaviour; the general maintenance costs were too high or
aggressive behaviour.
Surrendered Dogs were more likely to be entire
males; blue/red Cattle Dog or their crosses; under one year of
age; been vaccinated in the last year, wormed recently and were
registered. They were more likely to be surrendered (in descending
order of prevalence) because the pets were too old or sick; owners
were moving house; escape behaviour; aggressive behaviour; owners
had too many animals; barking behaviour or small yard.
Interrupting the surrender cycle needs compassion;
understanding; breadth of knowledge and twenty years of experience
(classic job ad)!
Educational Opportunities for new owners, problem
pets and general health and welfare advice must be proactively
sort.
Surrender Interviews will help to ascertain the
real reasons behind pet dumping and whether remedial therapy or
rehoming is best.
Referral Network of competent pet behaviour
counsellors and foster carers is a vital.
Staff Training and Support are crucial. Staff should have
accreditation / qualifications in the area in which they work eg
grief counselling, pet handling, pet behaviour modification.
Behaviour Assessment of surrendered animals needs
to be performed on at least three occasions (eg days 1, 4, 7) by
three different, appropriately qualified staff.
Rehabilitation Programs to modify previous
behaviour problems can integrate with daily routines of a busy
shelter. These are based on understanding the genetic building
blocks (species, breed, gender, character); how an animal's
personality potential is affected by learning / experience
(socialisation, owner pet experience, training) and what social
(people, animal) and physical environment (small yard, exercise
opportunity) the pet is exposed to.
Trained Volunteers or foster carers must display
the appropriate skills, knowledge and attitude eg Recognition of
Current Competency principles as per Rural Training Council of
Australia.
Shelter Design and Protocols must be a shining example of good
human-pet relationships (gentle training methods / handling, daily
grooming, twice daily exercise); environmental enrichment (chew
toys, playtimes, multiple exercise and play areas with obstacle
courses) and hygiene (no 'wet pets', disease transmission
prevention). I suggest that a mentally healthy pet is a physically
healthy pet that is more resistant to disease.
Early desexing is an essential part of any pet
overpopulation reduction strategy. Roaming entire male pets may
cause reactive barking, community health concerns, disease
dissemination and unwanted pet pregnancies.
Adoption Interview ensures appropriate
Owner-Animal Matching. Determining owner commitment (finances,
roster, contingency planning); responsibility (health, welfare,
legal) and relationship desires (lifetime, interactive) assists in
placing the right animal with the right owner - the 'eyes wide
open' philosophy.
Neutral Territory Introduction, bringing existing
pets into to meet the newcomer, ensures a smooth transition from
shelter to loving home.
Premise Inspection especially for medium-sized
dogs provides authentication of yard security and provision of
environmental enrichment opportunities.
Compulsory Education Course for New Owners would
prepare owners for the settling-in period; teach dog and cat
'First Principles' and building relationship bonds through
understanding pet behaviour - Puppy Preschools and Kitty Kindies.
Feedback Monitoring of newly placed pets at one
and four weeks would help minimise potential pet behaviour
problems and reduce relinquishment.
Improving
rehoming and reducing euthanasia - how to market homeless animals
Peter Barber, Chief Executive Officer, RSPCA Victoria
Shelters provide sanctuary to lost, dumped,
frightened, and injured animals and provide the opportunity for
those animals to be reunited with their owners. In 1999/2000,
117,689 stray/lost/abandoned dogs and cats were received into
RSPCA shelters across Australia and only 15,300 dogs and 1,600
cats were reclaimed. Clearly, we have to reduce the number of dogs
and cats entering shelters and improve our ability to reunite
strays with their owners.
It is important for stakeholders to pressure state
and territory governments to become part of the problem-solving
process. We must have pet animal management laws applied to all
shelters, breeders and pet shops uniformly and include the
promotion of responsible pet ownership and require determined
efforts to return lost pets to their owners.
Currently, it is too easy to acquire dogs and
cats, to give them as presents or to dump them. To encourage more
responsible and committed pet ownership we should require
pre-purchase standards such as desexing, microchipping,
vaccination, temperament and breed testing and completion of
registration papers. Everyone seeking to buy a pet dog or cat
should be required to complete a simple questionnaire answering
questions relating to care and management of the animal.
Unfortunately there will always be surplus animals
in a shelter which have no future due to health and behavioural
reasons and need to be humanely euthanased by veterinarians. It is
also cruel to keep dogs and cats penned for long periods and so,
due to oversupply, they have to be euthanased. More efficient and
exciting marketing of animals suitable as pets must be found and
used.
So what are some solutions to enable the rehousing
of more animals and reduce the need for euthanasia in our
shelters? To rehouse animals requires facilities that provide
adequate care for animals and are also accessible and presentable
to the public. As well, shelters should advertise the fact that
they have healthy and well-cared for animals for sale at a range
of ages. Animals in RSPCA shelters have been wormed,
rehabilitated, vaccinated, socialised, temperament tested (using
nationally approved and accredited testing procedure) and are sold
with a money back guarantee once they have been desexed and
microchipped. Innovations should include programs such as the
supply of kittens for sale from approved veterinary clinics and
the implementation of immature desexing. Applying these principles
at the new animal welfare centre in Victoria has resulted in
increased reclaims and sales and reduced euthanasia rates which is
extremely encouraging.
For information on the routine conduct of a
shelter including documentation of all the procedures and
protocols followed by RSPCA Victoria will soon be available.
Tracing
lost pets: is microchipping working?
Dr Ted Donelan, Australian Veterinary Association
There is a need for better systems of
identification of companion animals and their owners for both
tracing lost pets and managing urban animals. Radio Frequency
Identification (RFID) technology ("microchipping") has
become accepted as the preferred form of identification for dogs
and cats, offering permanent identification anywhere pets may go
at any time of their lives. We have the technology, but lack
coordinated national standards and systems. This presentation
explains the technology and outlines the basic principles that
need to be followed to establish an efficient RFID system that
acts to maximize the twin objectives of animal recovery and urban
animal management. There will be discussion of the NSW and South
Australian schemes and recent decisions made by the Urban Animal
Management movement.
Effective electronic identification of animals
is dependent on the integration and control of four essential
elements - the microchip implant; the reader (scanner) network;
database operation and management; and operating procedures for
implantation and scanning. Microchips cannot link animals and
owners if all these aspects are not adequately addressed.
RFID is a national concern and a national
perspective must be maintained at all times, particularly with
regard to technologies used. Earlier technologies created problems
because of inherent incompatibilities, and the move is now to
products complying with the International Standards Organization
(ISO) standards ISO 11784 and ISO 11785. The transition has to be
handled carefully, and the significant numbers of dogs and cats
implanted with earlier non-ISO technologies must be acknowledged
and protected.
The implanted microchip must cause no harm and
must be durable enough to function for the life of the animal.
Both microchips and readers must meet defined performance
standards.
To ensure readability of implanted devices, a comprehensive
network of compatible readers must be installed in all places
where dogs and cats are handled. These scanners must be
ISO-compliant multireaders that are able to read both ISO
microchips and all types of the earlier non-ISO microchips used in
Australia. Once the network of these scanners is in place,
ISO-compliant microchips should be used. However, it is imperative
that existing technologies be used until the reader network has
been upgraded to ISO capability. This is the first priority.
The database registry plays a central role in
all aspects of access, management, security and accountability of
electronic identification systems, and control of registry
function is critical. Proper registry management is the only
assurance of uniqueness of microchip numbers via the management of
records of transponders in the country and audit trails of
implanted devices. The registry is the guardian of the system,
where problems and failures will be detected
To ensure maximum effectiveness there must be
strict adherence to defined operational procedures and protocols
for implantation of devices, recording of information and scanning
procedures. Identification and listing in the database system must
be for the life of the animal.
Given that to date Australia does not have
national RFID standards, it is imperative that user stakeholders
such as the AVA, RSPCA, pet owners and local government work
together with regulators to develop a framework of standards and
systems that will work across Australia.
Properly designed RFID systems will vastly
improve our ability to trace lost pets. They will save money, save
lives and yield a wealth of information about many aspects of pets
and pet keeping. The result will be improved animal welfare and
animal management outcomes.
Tail
docking and other controversial practices
Dr Deb Kelly, South Australian Department of Environment and
Heritage
Some non-therapeutic surgical procedures have been
performed on dogs for centuries, others have appeared more
recently. Probably the most common today are: tail docking;
removal of dew claws; ear cropping and pinking; debarking and to a
far lesser extent, body piercing.
Ear cropping and pinking
Any breed of dog that is traditionally shown with cropped ears has
been used for fighting at some time in its history. Ears provide
anchor points so are a distinct disadvantage in a dogfight.
Fighting dogs had their ears cut off as small pups. This evolved
into cropping. Dog fighting was banned in the United Kingdom in
1889 and is prohibited in all States of Australia. However, it is
still widely practiced in Asia and, to a lesser extent, in the
Americas. With the decline of this "sport", fewer
breeds, throughout the world, are routinely cropped for show. Ear
"pinking" is a residual fashion occasionally practiced
in the United States which developed from cropping. Pinking
involves cutting the ear edge in a serrated manner - similar to
pinking shears on cloth. This procedure is purely cosmetic. Pinked
ears would be of no benefit to fighting dogs. However, it
illustrates how a practice that was initiated for practical
purposes has become purely cosmetic. Cropped ears stand upright
and make the dog look more alert and more ferocious -
characteristics, which are desirable for showing and for guarding
respectively. Ear cropping and pinking always require anaesthesia.
Tail docking
Tail docking probably began in a single location in the British
Isles or Western Europe and was adopted by that country's trading
partners and the British colonies. It is common in Terriers and
Gun Dogs and unusual in other breeds. The origins of the practice
are almost certainly based on the use of dogs for hunting and
fighting in all their various forms. There is no requirement for
any Australian show dog to be docked but the frequency of the
practice in this country illustrates its acceptance within the Dog
Fancy and the community in general. Though some of the arguments
for docking do retain validity, the inconsistencies illustrate
that the primary reason for docking tails is tradition and
appearance. Tails are docked without anaesthesia in very young
pups and with anaesthetic for practical and cosmetic reasons in
older dogs.
Dew claw removal
Like tail docking, there is no show requirement to remove
dewclaws. In some breeds, the show standard demands dew claws, or
even double dew claws are present. They are frequently removed in
working dogs because if loosely attached, they tend to tear. In
some cases, the nail grows around and cuts the toe or leg.
Dewclaws are removed from pups without anaesthesia on a routine
basis and from older dogs under anaesthetic where there is an
established need.
Debarking
Debarking is the surgical destruction o the vocal folds of the
larynx causing the dog to bark with a reduced volume. It is
commonly performed in highly populated areas or in response to
complaints from neighbours about the dog barking. Some breeds bark
more than others so some breeders will routinely debark puppies
prior to sale in the urban area. Obviously, the procedure is
always performed under anaesthetic.
Body piercing
In the same way that people often have their children's ears
pieced, it became a fad a few years ago for the wealthy to have
their dogs' ears pierced. This has not gained popularity amongst
the mainstream community but tends to be restricted to a few
individuals who wish to make a statement through their dogs. It is
most common in toy dogs - some people even choose diamond ear
studs for their pets.
Inherited
disorders in companion animals - what is and can be done to
overcome this problem
Dr Paul McGreevy , Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of
Sydney
This paper reviews the history of the
establishment of breeds, summarises current health and resultant
welfare problems and makes some positive suggestions for their
resolution.
Some breed standards and selection practices run
counter to the welfare interests of dogs, to the extent that some
breeds are characterised by traits that may be difficult to defend
on welfare grounds. Meanwhile, little selection pressure seems to
be exerted on some traits that would improve animal welfare and
produce dogs better suited to modern society.
Unfortunately, the incidence of certain inherited
defects in some breeds is unacceptably high while the number of
registered animals of certain breeds within some countries is so
low as to make it almost impossible for breeders to avoid mating
close relatives.
There are several constructive ways to overcome
these challenges. Breed associations can ensure that reduction of
welfare problems is one of their major aims; they can review breed
standards; they can embrace modern technology for animal
identification and pedigree checking; they can allow the
introduction of "new" genetic material into closed stud
books; and they can encourage collaboration with geneticists in
identifying and using DNA markers for the control of inherited
disorders. There should be a concerted effort to produce and
evaluate as pets first-cross (F1) hybrids from matings between
various pairs of breeds. At the same time, geneticists must learn
better to communicate their science in a language that
non-geneticists can understand.
In a bid to address the need for more information
on inherited disease, we have designed a web-site for on-line
prevalence reporting of diagnoses in animals. The aim of this
initiative is to collect representative data on trends in the
prevalence of diagnoses of behavioural and inherited disorders in
dogs. Further we aim to deliver on-line real-time reports of
trends in the prevalence of these diagnoses to the veterinary
profession, breeders and potential puppy purchasers.
The web-site is being designed that presents a
simple questionnaire with categorised clicking opportunities for
veterinarians to record diagnoses in micro-chipped dogs on a
regular basis and present the resultant data in a form freely
accessible to all interested parties including breeders,
veterinarians and pet-purchasers. This initiative is being
developed in consultation with the Australian National Kennel
Council (ANKC), RSPCA (Australia) and the Animal Welfare League
(NSW).
The results of this research will allow:
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Potential purchasers to make informed decisions when buying
puppies.
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Veterinarians to benefit by being able to provide clients with
local current data and by being able to learn from the
profession's pooled.
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Breeders to recognise which unwelcome traits are increasing and
which are being successfully reduced.
This facility will provide breed societies and
funding bodies with information that will allow them to generate a
prioritised list of behavioural and inherited disorders and to
focus their attempts to reduce the incidence of unwelcome traits.
Additionally, we anticipate this project will facilitate the
production of similar sites for other species.
The
incidence of obese and overweight pets in Australia - a
preliminary report
Dr Tanya Grassi, Anne Quain and Cassandra Pride. Faculty of
Veterinary Science, University of Sydney
There has always been a view, largely anecdotal,
that the prevalence of overweight and obese companion animals in
Australia is high. Studies from overseas have indicated a
prevalence of up to 44% in dogs and 40% in cats. Much published
evidence of the health consequences for pets of overweight and
obesity is available, though the importance of the behavioural
implications for the animal and the impact on the human-animal
bond has been less well explored.
What we already know:
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Dogs are more likely to encounter weight control problems than
cats.
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Animals at greater risk are female, neutered, older, poorly
exercised, animals with obese owners, "only" pets (i.e.
single pet households).
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Obesity is associated with medical problems such as
osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, liver
disease and increased surgical risk.
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There is still a lot of debate about definition and assessment of
overweight in companion animals, as well as pathogenesis and
treatment.
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The overweight pet has a shorter life span and poorer quality of
life, compromising its welfare.
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The incidence of obesity in pets increases with the incidence of
obesity in owners.
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Obesity is the product of a positive energy balance where caloric
intake exceeds output, leading to adiposity. Only 5% of cases are treatable medically. 95% of cases must be treated through
control of caloric intake.
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The bond between the owner and the animal is a crucial factor
determining the caloric intake and subsequent body condition of an
animal.
The survey
In 2000, a survey was conducted by RSPCA Australia to determine
the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the Australian
companion animal population. The aim of the survey was to
determine the extent of the problem and attempt to identify
possible avenues of further study.
Preliminary results
The survey's findings confirm the widely held view that the
prevalence of overweight pets in Australia is alarmingly high.
Several questions are raised regarding the role of veterinarians
and animal welfare organisations in the control of pet obesity,
the importance of altering community perceptions of weight
problems in pets, and the introduction of a standard for measuring
body condition in companion animals. The bond between animals and
humans, and its significance in strategies aimed at reducing the
problem, is another potentially fruitful field for further
enquiry.
Native and
exotic animals as pets - are they really companion animals?
Dr Karen Viggers, Research School of Biological Sciences,
Australian National University
Keeping native mammals as pets has recently been
proposed as a new strategy to enhance the conservation of wildlife
in Australia. A range of reasons why native animals are unlikely
to replace domestic animals as pets is presented, as well as
concerns about animal welfare and other issues that could flow
from keeping native animals as pets. These include (among others):
the increased incidence of stress-related diseases, a lack of
information on appropriate husbandry and veterinary care, and
inappropriate breeding to select particular anatomical traits.
Keeping native animals as pets also has the potential to: spread
disease to wild populations of the same species, spread disease to
other species that would not normally have been exposed to such
types of infections, and create a mechanism for the spread of
disease from animals to humans (zoonoses). These problems have
major negative implications not only for wild populations of
Australian native animals, but also for human health in this
country. It is essential these issues are fully addressed prior to
the further development and promotion of the concept of a native
animal pet industry. Indeed, for the establishment of such an
industry to be justified, there must be demonstrable and
substantial positive conservation outcomes for wild populations.
It must also be demonstrated that any new industry would not have
any negative effect on the status of wild populations.
This project is supported by the Commonwealth
Government through a grant-in-aid administered by the Department
of Finance and Administration
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