COMPANION ANINAL WELFARECOMPANION ANINAL WELFARE

Approx.Approx.150-160 million pets 150-160 million pets in the U.S.in the U.S.

Approx. 65% of Approx. 65% of households have a pethouseholds have a pet

65 million owned dogs[39 % of households]

78 million owned cats[34 % of households][Feral? 20-50 million?]

12 million owned birds[7 million households]

Americans spentover $9 billion on dog food 2003

$36 billion onpet products in 2004

$3.8 billion onjust cat food in 1995

Pet trade results in the death of from2.1 million (Patronek) to up to 9.1 milliondogs every year (Amer Humane Assoc.)

and 5.7 to 9.5 million cats (AHA)

Note this is in shelters,and does not include strays,feral cats, those killedprivately.

Patronek and Glickman

~ Shelters in Iowa and Washington took in7.6% of dog population each year

Patronek and Glickman

~ Shelters in Iowa and Washington7.6% of dog population each year

~ Approx. half euthanized, or 4% of thetotal population

Patronek and Glickman

~ Shelters in Iowa and Washington7.6% of dog population each year

~ Approx. half euthanized, or 4% of the pop.

~ Generalizing to entire country, estimate =2.1 million dogs euthanized each year.

Dane County Humane Society 2004*

Incoming Reclaimed Adopted Euth

Dogs 1,840 688 716 382Cats 3,604 209 2,207 1,052Other 1,613 12 675 362

Canine numbers are almost exact replicate of 1996Feline numbers higher in 2004 (31 % increase) than ‘96

* numbers don’t all total correctly

In large cities (Los Angles for ex), notuncommon for 150/day to be killed.

(Compare these numbers with 100,000 dogs used in research every year.)

HISTORICAL TREND: (ASPCA)1895 96% dogs killed

95 % cats killed

1994 74 % dogs killed78% cats killed

No-Kill Shelters

~ No information how many~ No information how many dogs

~ Quality of life variable

~ Disagreement in the field about theirpracticality and ethics

Where are these animals from?Arkov 1983

Most common age of surrender =adolescence

Inverse correlation between priceand surrender.

Most commonly first obtainedfrom friend or shelter

REASONS FOR SURRENDER(Salman et al 2000; pers comm)

DOGSBehavioral problems “Moving”Too much time or money

CATSLitter box problemsAllergiesBehavioral problemsMoving/Other cat

How prevent abandonment of pets?

I. AVOID IMPULSE BUYING(and responding to supernormalsign stimuli)

II. OBTAIN FROM:1. Responsible breeder2. Breed Rescue Group3. Shelter

RESPONSIBLE BREEDEER DEFINED:

~ Selection criteria =

health, disposition > looks, status

~ Raises pups and maintains adults inenriched, humane environment

~ Takes full responsibility for pups for their lifetime (will take back at anyage for any reason)

PUPPY MILLS

~ Numbers unknown, thousands exist~ Covered by AWA, but little enforcement;

conditions often inhumane~ Worst states = Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas

Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania~ Most “AKC registered”~ Sold in pet stores, through ‘brokers’

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III. AVOID ‘DEALERS’ & PET STORES

IV. DON’T BREED FOR FUN

V. CHOOSE FOR HEALTH & BEHAVIOR, NOT LOOKS

Buy breeds appropriate to your lifestyle

Tulip

Luke

Pip

Great PyreneesBarks at night“Dis-a-pyr”

Border Collie Needs job Hours of exercise Reactive

Border Collie Smart

(really smart)

Lassie

Border Collie Obsessive

VI. BREED FOR HEALTH

Breeding forNovelty

Scottish FoldScottish Fold

Sphynx

Neopolitan Mastiff [WHaM]

Breeding for Size

South African Boerboel 120 - 170 lbs

Breeding for Extreme Physical Characteristics

German Shepherd Dog

Bassett Corgi cross

AchondroplasiaImproper development of cartilage at the ends of the long bones - a form of dwarfism

Pekinese

BrachycephaliaMutation that leads to shortened muzzle and broad head

Neopolitan Mastiff

VII. BREED (and select) FOR GOOD DISPOSITIONS

DEFINITION OF BREED:~ Changes over time, in differentlocations.

CURRENT IN US: Genetic basis - isolated populationrepresenting subset of possible geneticvariability in the species.

HISTORICALLY, AND ELSEWHEREPhenotypic basis OR location-based