module14companionanimalmanagement-worldanimal.ppt

* To sum up this lecture on companion animals: as vets, there are many ways that you can help to reduce welfare problems in companion animals, both in clinical practice and in the wider issue of pet overpopulation. In practice, you can promote responsible ownership in all the ways listed on this slide. It is also important to understand clinical ethology so you can help owners whose dogs or cats may be showing undesirable behaviours. This not only helps the animals, but it prevents the owners from abandoning animals to shelters or on the street. Regarding stray animals, as a vet you have an important role in working with all the agencies involved, including shelters and local authorities. In particular, you can advise about why mass killing does not sustainably control the problem of strays and why it is also inadvisable for other reasons. You can also help the agencies devise better programmes, which may include neuter–release schemes. * * * Stray cats and dogs are a problem for two main reasons: the animals suffer reduced welfare in many ways, and they create considerable risks to other species around them, particularly humans. However, the lives of stray animals are not all bad. Stray dogs and cats have much more freedom of movement and control over their lives than many pet dogs and cats. This picture shows stray cats in Banjul, Gambia, and they seem very healthy and well fed and content. Schemes to stabilise cat populations by trapping them, neutering them, and releasing them can be very successful. We will return to those schemes later in this lecture. First, however, we will look more closely at the welfare problems often experienced by stray dogs and cats. The specialisation within veterinary medicine that deals with stray animals and their management and care is called shelter medicine. Be aware that managing the problems of strays is not your responsibility as an individual vet. However, as a vet you can be very much part of the solution, and so