Companion Animal Management in Victoria

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1 Companion Animal Management in Victoria

2 Overview Summary of Victorian welfare legislation and control Explanation of animal welfare groups in Vic. Current knowledge of shelter statistics Welfare issues in pounds and shelters Euthanasia as a population control mechanism

3 Domestic animal laws in Victoria Two primary animal-related Acts Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (1986) (POCTA) Defensible Codes of Practice RSPCA and other Authorised Officers Domestic Animals Act (1994) Mandatory Codes of Practice Council and DEPI

4 Domestic Animals Act (1994) Amended in 2010 after child fatality Covers companion animal management Empowers council as enforcers of law Micro-chipping and registration Seizure of dogs and cats from private persons Breed Specific and Dangerous/Menacing dog legislation Domestic Animal Businesses Greyhounds and dogs used for business purposes

5 Code of Practice for Pounds and Shelters Outlines mandatory services in pounds and shelters Adequate nutrition and vet care Staffing ratio 1:50 Environmental enrichment for all animals (New!) No longer 28 day time limit (New!) No dangerous or nuisance animals can be re-homed Behaviour must be tested No guidelines as to how this is to be achieved No valid and reliable tests currently available

6 Welfare groups in Victoria Four main types of organisation No uniform legislative controls across types Pound Shelter Foster care Private rescue Breed rescue All breeds rescue

7 Pounds Pounds hold impounded and seized animals for councils, for the mandatory period. Pounds can be contracted or self-run Mandatory holding period is 8 days in Vic, varies in other states from 3-5 days Animals not owned by pound until finished Only basic husbandry, vet care and enrichment can be provided by paid staff Many organisations are pound only facilities Do not provide rehoming services Animals are euthanased after the mandatory hold period 84Y agreement allows rescues or shelters to take pound animals

8 Shelters Main function is to re-home unwanted animals All accept animals that are voluntarily relinquished by owners Some shelters also hold pound contracts Self-funded through charity, opp shops, vet clinics and other business ventures. Getting 2 Zero (G2Z) and No Kill vs. Kill shelters Different mission statements, euthanasia and admission criteria G2Z is Australian low kill movement Aims for no rehomeable animals to be euthanased No Kill movement originally from USA

9 Admission to pounds and shelters Relinquishment by owner (no hold period) Public stray (8 day hold period) Impoundment by council officers Strays picked up by council Seizure for humane reasons under POCTA Seizure due to dog attack incident

10 Shelter programs foster care Short to medium term care provided by volunteers External to a shelter Animal is still owned by the shelter Increases shelter capacity to hold animals Often volunteers fund themselves In-home rehabilitation Underweight kittens Post-operative care Behavioural rehabilitation

11 Private rescue Covered by Private keeping of dogs CoP Volunteers who foster and re-home animals Own all animals in their care Commonly work with pound-only operations (84Y) Limited intake by nature Self-funded Variable level of training and experience

12 Shelter statistics - Dogs No complete, collated shelter data available in Australia Admissions 84% Stray (public or council) 15% Relinquished (owner surrendered) Outcomes Resource limitations (accommodation, money) Behavioural reasons 50% reclaimed by their owners 20% adopted into new homes 30% euthanased What happens to shelter dogs? An analysis of data for 1 year from three Australian shelters. Marston, Bennett and Coleman Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science (1) pg 27-47

13 Shelter Dogs Characteristics of shelter dogs Generally good physical condition Average admission age 9 mths 2 yrs Mostly male and entire Female admissions typically desexed Demographics vary across shelters Small breeds in metro areas Larger breeds in rural areas Pups common in rural shires

14 Shelter Cats Admissions (similar to dogs) 81.6% Stray 18.4% Relinquished (queens!) Outcomes 3-4% (average) Reclaimed 20% Adopted 60% Euthanased (some shelters over 70%), Characteristics of admissions Mostly kittens - approximately 53% Good BCS but cat flu prevalent, especially in kittens Very few of either sex are desexed Admissions of cats to animal welfare shelters in Melbourne, Australia. Marston and Bennett Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 2009;12(3): doi: /

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16 Welfare concerns in pounds and shelters Shelters and pounds are highly stressful for animals! Behaviour deteriorates during stay Returns are a huge welfare issue CoP contains no set criteria for evaluations, therefore standards vary widely between organisations Behavioural assessment Health assessment Owner-pet matching Age restrictions Staff training

17 Shelters are stressful places Stressors in a shelter environment are numerous Noise Smell Strange and potentially aggressive con-specifics Variable or unknown routines No steady attachment figure for animals Solitary confinement for long periods Little climate control Prolonged stress causes reduced welfare Reduced immune function Disease Behavioural deterioration

18 Returns are a welfare issue Most occur within 1 st month Wastes limited shelter resources Increases likelihood of behavioural deterioration and separation related issues Within First Month 1-2 Months 2-3 months Over 3 months Subsequent adoptions are more difficult Not all failed animals return to same shelter Cats are unlikely to be returned Dogs taken elsewhere or dumped 73.1 Timing of dog returns: Percentage (%) by month

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20 Post Adoptive Issues: Dogs Common behavioural problems identified: But boisterousness, pulling on a lead, mouthing separation-related problems Incidence of behavioural problems did not correlate with owner returns! Owner attachment to their pet is the key to successful adoptions. Strategies for reducing return rates should focus on fostering the owner-pet bond.

21 Preventing returns In order to decrease returns, shelters should: Extinguish undesirable behaviours in-shelter Teach desirable behaviours in-shelter Ensure owners have realistic expectations Match pets to owner expectations Teach owners how to handle possible problems Ensure consistency in handling transfers into new home Provide post-adoption support

22 The elephant in the room: Euthanasia Euthanasia is used for population control in Australia However, euthanasia due to lack of space is Very common for cats Very uncommon for dogs Euthanasia is sometimes required For humane reasons Due to severe and ongoing health or behavioural problems Limited intake organisations refuse animals that are not considered re-homeable Creates bias in statistics which is often used against kill shelters Subsequent politics creates animosity between organisations

23 Factors affecting euthanasia rates Societal considerations Relinquishment and abandonment of pet dogs is primary source of shelter dog population Cat-related problems more complex Large semi-owned populations of cats Community attitudes towards cats difficult to assess and not well understood Little natural population control in Australia In-shelter considerations Limited holding capacity Behavioural deterioration caused by conditions Unable to adequately assess animal behaviour Lack of adopters for shelter animals

24 Societal strategies to reduce euthanasia Dogs Provide accessible, efficient help for behavioural problems in pet dogs Provide access to financial support or low-cost alternatives for pet health care Provide education on pet needs and responsible ownership behaviours PRIOR to acquisition of new pet Cats Increase reclaim rate of cats potentially the biggest reduction in cat euthanasia Provide better education about pet needs Prevent unwanted cat pregnancies in owned cats Educate people regarding age of sexual maturity of cats 4 months!! Fund low cost de-sexing when/where required Encourage early age de-sexing by vets for their private patients.

25 Societal strategies to reduce euthanasia Reduce number of semi-owned, irresponsibly owned and stray cats in community Encourage people to take ownership of semi-owned cats Develop chemical contraception to be delivered in food for stray and colony cats. Non-invasive, non-toxic and one-time application Safe for cat feeders to handle Eliminate requirement for vet, so applicable everywhere in world

26 In-shelter strategies to reduce euthanasia Increase capacity to hold animals Develop foster care program Liaise with rescues Prevent behavioural deterioration in shelter through enrichment Environment and physical enrichment Social enrichment Feed/forage enrichment Scientifically evaluate assessment protocols Must provide effective risk assessment (consequences vs likelihood) Must address common behavioural problems Must be feasible and safe Must be able to be conducted with limited resources and training

27 In-shelter strategies to reduce euthanasia Most importantly, increase successful adoptions Ensure animals are behaviourally and physically healthy Match potential adopters and animals effectively Improve undesirable behaviour through training Ensure animals present well in shelter Ensure that shelter is a nice place for the public to visit Provide free and effective follow-up support Reduce prejudice against shelter animals and older animals