US Shelter Pet Report

Transcription

Attitudes on
Pet Homelessness
Are Shifting
2014 U.S. Shelter Pet Report
Humane
Solutions
Gain Ground
Adoption,
Spay/Neuter
Gain
Acceptance
Adoption
Is the Best
Option —
for Families
and for
Shelter Pets
With So
Many Pets
in Shelters,
Why Would
People
Choose Not
to Adopt
a Pet?
Spay/Neuter
Efforts
Are
Paramount
in the Fight
Against Pet
Homelessness
What’s
Next and
How You
Can Help
Pets, Families
and Shelters
Win with Open
Adoptions
Early-Age
Spay/Neuter
Saves Lives
Why
TrapNeuterReturn
(TNR)?
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14
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21
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30
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34
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37
Humane Solutions
Gain Ground
by J
an Wilkins,
Executive Director
PetSmart Charities®
Pet homelessness is an issue
close to many of our hearts
and homes. Most of us first
learn about the problem
through adopting a pet, one
who changes our lives forever.
I always had adopted pets
growing up, but it wasn’t until
much later that Chloe made
me realize I had to do more to
solve the problem.
My husband and I adopted Chloe,
a golden retriever, from a PetSmart
Charities Adoption Center in
California. Chloe was the youngest of
15 puppies rescued from a backyard
breeder. She became a beloved
member of our family, like so many
pet adopters, and we did our best
to make up for the treatment she
received before we adopted her. My
work today in animal welfare is a
tribute to Chloe.
Ending pet homelessness
in a generation
More than ever, I know that we can
achieve a future in which every pet
Page 3 • PetSmart Charities 2014 U.S. Shelter Pet Report
has a lifelong, loving home, so that
no pet needs to endure what Chloe
did. With your help, we can do it
within a generation.
Unlike other causes, we are not
hampered by a lack of a cure or
technology. Because our issue
resides close to home rather than
halfway around the world, people
can see the impact they have when
they adopt and spay/neuter their
pets, or support local animal welfare
groups by volunteering or donating.
But not enough people are getting
the message that pet homelessness
is a solvable problem. By publishing
Humane Solutions
Gain Ground
the third PetSmart Charities U.S.
Shelter Pet Report, we hope to shed
new light on the public’s shifting
attitudes toward pet adoption and
spay/neuter — and encourage people
to continue moving in the right
direction.
More education is needed
PetSmart Charities’ new research
suggests that interest in the wellbeing of pets is on the rise. Changing
demographics certainly play a role in
this — 2010 census data revealed that
more U.S. households have dogs than
children. Social media also has given
people new tools with which to find
adoptable pets and support our cause,
both at the local and national levels.
It is encouraging to see that pet
adoption is gaining ground, with
huge jumps for both cats and dogs
in our study. To see this positive
trend continue and dissuade people
from turning to breeders, we’re
committed to continuing our work in
PetSmart Charities Adoption Centers,
collaborating with agencies to give
adopters the best possible experience
every time.
However, pet homelessness is too
large a problem to solve by adoption
alone. The public continues to vastly
underestimate the number of pets who
are euthanized annually in the United
States. An estimated 8 million pets
enter U.S. shelters every year and only
4 million ever find homes. Cats, kittens,
Chihuahuas and bully breeds are
particularly at risk for euthanasia.
Humane Solutions
Gain Ground
Our findings suggest that we have
more work to do to educate people on
the link between pet overpopulation
and spay/neuter — and where they
can go to fix their pets safely and
affordably. People are also confused
as how young their pets can be fixed,
with many waiting too long to get the
procedure done.
America. But because we’re dedicated
to ending pet homelessness, we
know we have to think bigger than
ourselves — and reach people who care
about our cause. We are sharing the
report publicly to help inspire creative
pet lovers like you to become more
involved in saving pets’ lives in your
communities.
Together we can reach
our common goal
The PetSmart Charities 2014 U.S.
Shelter Pet Report will enable us to
make wise decisions as the largest
funder of animal welfare in North
Sincerely,
Jan Wilkins
Executive Director
“There is no time to
waste. Millions of pets
like Chloe
need our help today.”
Adoption,
Spay/Neuter
Gain Acceptance
Pet ownership appears to be on the rise, when
compared with even a few years ago. That is one
of the findings from the new PetSmart Charities
2014 U.S. Shelter Pet Report. The report found
that 81% of households have a pet, compared
to 63% in 2011.
U.S. Dog/Cat Ownership
81%
60%63%
49%
57%
47%
44%
35% 33%
Dog and/or Cat
Dog
2009
Cat
2011
2014
“If all the pet lovers in the United
States demanded an end to pet
homelessness and took action in
their communities, our grandchildren
would not have to live in a world
where healthy pets are euthanized
daily.”
— Jan Wilkins
PetSmart Charities executive director
We studied the opinions of thousands
of adults from around the country
and learned that the fight against
pet homelessness is gaining strength.
Awareness of the overpopulation
problem continues to increase, with 46%
saying it’s an issue that is very important
to them. And unlike other causes, pet
homelessness has seen an 11% uptick in
the number of people who donate their
time or money, too (40%).
However, to make a difference and
save pets’ lives, we need the rest of the
population to get involved. More than
half of Americans surveyed — many of
them pet owners — still don’t provide
any support for the issue.
Level of Importance of Pet Homelessness Issue
37%
2009
2011
2014
41% 46%
It is extremely/very
important to me
Provided Support for Pet Homelessness Issue
7% 8% 10%
I have donated
my time
21% 21%
63% 62%
55%
30%
I have donated
money/goods
14% 14% 14%
I have provided
other support
I have not
provided support
for this issue
Adoption Is
the Best Option —
for Families and
for Shelter Pets
The report showed that adoption is the most popular way
to get a pet. Two-thirds of people considering a pet said
they would adopt instead of acquiring their cat or dog from
another source. That’s a big improvement over our 2011
findings, when just 58% of those people wanted to adopt.
2011
2014
66%
58%
How Many
People Would
Consider Pet
Adoption?
Adoption Is
the Best Option —
for Families and
for Shelter Pets
Other top adoption findings:
•Purchasing pets is still common.
•People think highly of shelters
and rescue groups.
•Many families don’t prepare for
their new pets.
•Getting a pre-altered pet is a
key reason for adopting.
•Cats don’t stand a chance with
some adopters.
25% of respondents would look to non-adoption
sources, such as breeders or other places that
sell pets, instead of adopting. Dog owners were
even more likely to have purchased a pup —
28% said they bought their most recent dog.
Adoption Is
the Best Option —
for Families and
for Shelter Pets
and rescue groups.
their new pets.
some adopters.
More than half the people who visited shelters and
rescue groups gave them high marks for cleanliness,
reasonable fees and healthy, happy pets.
Adoption Is
the Best Option —
for Families and
for Shelter Pets
and rescue groups.
their new pets.
some adopters.
What do people do before
adopting a pet?
•A
quarter of people said they researched online
or visited a shelter.
•4
0% said they didn’t do anything to prepare
for a new pet.
•A
mong cat parents, the number of people who
did nothing was even higher (48%).
Adoption Is
the Best Option —
for Families and
for Shelter Pets
and rescue groups.
their new pets.
some adopters.
19% of participants said that having their new
friend already spayed or neutered was one
of the reasons they chose to adopt.
When you adopt from a shelter,
chances are that your pet will be
fixed — saving you the trouble of
scheduling the procedure or even
thinking about unplanned litters.
Adoption Is
the Best Option —
for Families and
for Shelter Pets
27% said that when considering a new pet,
they would not choose a cat.
and rescue groups.
their new pets.
some adopters.
Interestingly, people who intend
to adopt a dog may find that their
lifestyles are better suited to a
low-maintenance yet lovable cat.
With more homeless cats than
dogs, our feline friends need all the
open-minded help they can get.
With So Many
Pets in Shelters,
Why Would
People Choose
Not to Adopt
a Pet?
Reasons for
Not Adopting
Most Recent Pet
Over Past 12 Months
36% 34% 13% 12% 12% 11% 10%
We asked people who had added pets to
their families in the last 12 months why they
chose not to adopt. As in our previous report,
misperceptions about shelter pets prevent
some people from adopting.
My local pet
organization/
shelter did not
have the type
of dog/cat I
was looking for.
I wanted a purebred
dog/cat.
People chose not to adopt because they said they
wanted a purebred pet (36%) or shelters didn’t
have the type of pet they wanted (34%).
I feel that pets from pet
organization/shelters
have behavioral problems.
I do not know very much
about pet adoption.
The adoption process is too difficult.
I feel that pets from pet organization/
shelters have health problems.
You never know what you are going to get
with a shelter animal.
With So Many
Pets in Shelters,
Why Would
People Choose
Not to Adopt
a Pet?
Reasons for
Not Adopting
Most Recent Pet
Over Past 12 Months
36% 34% 13% 12% 12% 11% 10%
This finding indicates that people are
not aware of:
•b
reed-specific rescue groups that operate across
the country
•o
nline adoption resources that enable filtering by
breed or type.
Myth
My local pet
organization/
shelter did not
have the type
of dog/cat I
was looking for.
Myth
I wanted a purebred
dog/cat.
about pet adoption.
With So Many
Pets in Shelters,
Why Would
People Choose
Not to Adopt
a Pet?
Reasons for
Not Adopting
Most Recent Pet
Over Past 12 Months
36% 34% 13% 12% 12% 11% 10%
Some people who had gotten pets in the last year
but chose not to adopt thought that shelter pets
were damaged in some way.
Behavior (13%) and health (11%) problems were
popular concerns, as was “you never know what
you’re going to get” with a shelter pet (10%).
My local pet
organization/
shelter did not
have the type
of dog/cat I
was looking for.
I wanted a purebred
dog/cat.
about pet adoption.
With So Many
Pets in Shelters,
Why Would
People Choose
Not to Adopt
a Pet?
Reasons for
Not Adopting
Most Recent Pet
Over Past 12 Months
36% 34% 13% 12% 12% 11% 10%
However, adoption is one of the
safest ways to acquire a pet.
Medical and behavioral experts examine and treat
cats and dogs before they are made available for
adoption. A pet from a shelter has met staff and
volunteers who can share their knowledge about
the pet’s personality and perhaps even a bit of
the pet’s history.
My local pet
organization/
shelter did not
have the type
of dog/cat I
was looking for.
I wanted a purebred
dog/cat.
Myth
about pet adoption.
Myth
Myth
With So Many
Pets in Shelters,
Why Would
People Choose
Not to Adopt
a Pet?
Reasons for
Not Adopting
Most Recent Pet
Over Past 12 Months
36% 34% 13% 12% 12% 11% 10%
Still others said they didn’t adopt because
they had trouble doing so. Strict requirements
at some shelters ruled out potential adopters,
leaving their chosen pets to find different homes.
Despite the efforts of many shelters to make
it easy for families to add a pet, 12% of people
who adopted a pet recently said that the
process is too difficult.
My local pet
organization/
shelter did not
have the type
of dog/cat I
was looking for.
I wanted a purebred
dog/cat.
about pet adoption.
With So Many
Pets in Shelters,
Why Would
People Choose
Not to Adopt
a Pet?
Reasons for
Not Adopting
Most Recent Pet
Over Past 12 Months
36% 34% 13% 12% 12% 11% 10%
However, with more shelters
implementing open adoptions
policies, adopting a pet is
easier than ever.
My local pet
organization/
shelter did not
have the type
of dog/cat I
was looking for.
I wanted a purebred
dog/cat.
For more information, see page 30:
“Pets, Families and Shelters Win with Open Adoptions.”
about pet adoption.
Myth
With So Many
Pets in Shelters,
Why Would
People Choose
Not to Adopt
a Pet?
Reasons for
Not Adopting
Most Recent Pet
Over Past 12 Months
36% 34% 13% 12% 12% 11% 10%
Finally, 12% of respondents who chose not to
adopt said they just don’t know very much
about pet adoption.
But, that answer isn’t good enough for
the 4 million pets who are euthanized in
shelters every year because they don’t
find homes.
Pet lovers are all obligated to do a better job
educating people about how saving a pet’s life
can enrich your own.
My local pet
organization/
shelter did not
have the type
of dog/cat I
was looking for.
I wanted a purebred
dog/cat.
about pet adoption.
Spay/Neuter Efforts
Are Paramount in
the Fight Against
Pet Homelessness
86%
80% 79%
Survey responses suggest that 86%
of pets are spayed or neutered. That’s
an impressive finding, especially
considering that 46% of those pets
were fixed after their families got them.
However, about half of the families
with unaltered pets said they were
not considering having their pet
spayed or neutered. Those unaltered
pets could be responsible for tens
of thousands of offspring — many
of whom could end up euthanized
in shelters.
2009
2011
2014
52% 50%
46%
40%
Already
spayed or 28% 29%
neutered
when
acquired
YES
Is Your Cat or Dog
Spayed or Neutered?
20% 21%
53%
14%
NO
Planning
to spay
or neuter
57%53%
Spayed or
neutered
after
acquired
Spay/Neuter Efforts
Are Paramount in
the Fight Against
Pet Homelessness
At the same time, people
continue to greatly underestimate
how many pets don’t find homes.
Only 15% thought it was 4 million
or more. In fact, of the 8 million
pets who enter U.S. shelters
every year, about 4 million are
euthanized.
85%
of people underestimate
the number of pets euthanized annually.
Spay/Neuter Efforts
Are Paramount in
the Fight Against
Pet Homelessness
Other top spay/neuter findings:
•People had common reasons for
spaying or neutering their pets.
•Access to safe and affordable spay/
neuter services can be improved.
•Reasons for not spaying or
neutering varied.
•Confusion still exists about the safe
age to do the surgery.
•Many people did not know
about free-roaming cats or how
to help them.
The majority of people said they
had their pet fixed because:
• it was the right thing to do (61%)
• they wanted to prevent unwanted pets (53%)
• they wanted to help reduce overpopulation (50%)
Spay/Neuter Efforts
Are Paramount in
the Fight Against
Pet Homelessness
46% knew that low-cost spay/neuter
options were available.
neutering varied.
to help them.
That’s especially disturbing because 30%
of the people whose pets were unaltered
said that they chose not to spay or neuter
because it was too expensive.
Spay/Neuter Efforts
Are Paramount in
the Fight Against
Pet Homelessness
30% 21% 15% 13%
neutering varied.
to help them.
Aside from those who chose not to spay
or neuter because it was too expensive, 21%
didn’t do it because their pet was confined
to their home. 15% just hadn’t gotten around
to it. Only 13% thought their pet was too
young. However, pets can have accidental
litters at just a few months of age, even
when they’re kept close to home.
Reasons It is too expensive
Mentioned for I did not feel it was necessary
Not Spaying or since my pet is confined to my home
Neutering
Haven’t got around to it
yet/Haven’t had time to do it
My pet is too young
for this operation
Spay/Neuter Efforts
Are Paramount in
the Fight Against
Pet Homelessness
neutering varied.
to help them.
Just 26% thought that pets could be spayed or
neutered at 4 months of age or younger. Half said
6 months or older; another 23% just didn’t know.
According to the American Veterinary Medical
Association, kittens and puppies can be spayed or
neutered safely at 2 months or 2 pounds in weight.
People who aren’t sure about the safety of early-age
spay/neuter surgery may be choosing not to fix
their pets — risking unwanted litters and adding to
the overpopulation problem.
Kittens and puppies can be spayed or neutered
safely at 2 months or 2 pounds in weight.
Spay/Neuter Efforts
Are Paramount in
the Fight Against
Pet Homelessness
neutering varied.
to help them.
54% of respondents were
aware of free-roaming cats in
their areas. That’s a good start.
However, only 35% of those
people knew about low-cost
spay/neuter services that help
control the community cat
population. We need them
to spread the word, because
more people need to know
how to help.
Spay/Neuter Efforts
Are Paramount in
the Fight Against
Pet Homelessness
Only about half of Americans (48%) understood the link
between pet homelessness and spay/neuter.
With an estimated 11,000 pets being euthanized every day
because there aren’t enough homes for all of them, we have
to help people connect these two ideas.
Spay/neuter efforts target overpopulation at the source of
the problem, by preventing unplanned litters. Spay/neuter
is the way to reduce pet homelessness from the start.
Coupled with adoption, we can move closer to ending pet
homelessness.
We can’t be satisfied until every pet is spayed or neutered
— the lives of homeless pets are at stake.
What’s Next
and How You
Can Help
As the largest funder of animal welfare in North
America, we are always looking for ways to improve.
We will use this study’s findings to refine our adoption
program in PetSmart® stores and make the best
decisions about how we use our donor dollars.
Each American can help save pets’ lives.
The PetSmart Charities 2014 U.S. Shelter Pet Report
shows that even people who are aware of the
overpopulation problem don’t always lend their support
to the cause.
You can change that by getting involved today.
Here’s how you can help:
•A
dopt your next pet. Search for a pet online
or find an adoption event.
•G
et your pet spayed or neutered. Find an
affordable clinic near you.
•D
onate to PetSmart Charities to help save
pets’ lives. We fund thousands of local animal
welfare groups that offer adoption and spay/
neuter programs in communities throughout
North America.
The PetSmart Charities 2014 U.S. Shelter Pet Report is based on research conducted among nearly 2,800
Americans age 18 or older. A nationally representative sample of responses from people with and without
pets was collected in July 2014. The study has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.
Pets, Families and
Shelters Win with
Open Adoptions
By T
odd Cramer
Senior Manager, Adoptions
PetSmart Charities
The PetSmart Charities 2014
U.S. Shelter Pet Report found
that adoption is the most
popular way for Americans
to add a pet to their families.
It also suggests that plenty
of people would like to
adopt, but run into unclear
or inconsistent rules and
roadblocks in the process that
prevent a happy ending.
Twelve percent of people who didn’t
adopt said the reason was because
the adoption process was too difficult.
Ultimately, a pet who could have gone
to a loving home ended up staying in
the shelter instead. That’s frustrating,
especially because we lose about
4 million of those pets every year due
to euthanasia.
Making the proper pet
connection is vital
Plus, my own experience taught me
that it can be worth taking a chance on
a potential adopter who doesn’t fit all
the criteria for the perfect pet owner.
Four years ago, I fell for a 2-year-old
border collie mix in a local shelter.
I was a single guy who had no
experience with the breed, no fenced
yard, and my job kept me traveling.
Some shelters would have sent me
home without the dog.
The Animal Protective Foundation
(APF) in Scotia, New York, gave me
— and my dog — a chance. Lulu and
I are together today because APF
followed what we now call an open
adoptions process. We had a friendly
conversation about how I lived, how I
would care for Lulu and what support
I might need. APF was proactive and
open throughout the process. And
together, we saved a life.
Pets, Families and
Shelters Win with
Open Adoptions
Even the best intentions
have consequences
But I’ve been on both sides of this
story. When I managed an animal
welfare group, my staff and I invested
a lot of emotion, time and money
in preparing pets for their forever
homes. Throughout my career I’ve
spoken with many groups that feel
obligated to find the perfect home
for the pets in their care. They think
that lengthy applications, mandatory
home visits and rigid requirements
will make that ideal family appear.
On the other hand, no potential
adopter is perfect. Some people,
like me, don’t have a fenced-in
yard, a flexible work schedule or an
impressive list of references who can
speak to their pet-raising abilities.
I’ve spent the last 12 years working in
animal welfare organizations, and I’m
still not the perfect pet parent.
The bottom line: For each day shelter
staff spend searching for perfect
pet parents, we lose about 11,000
adoptable pets to euthanasia. So how
can we save lives while delivering the
best experience for adopters, animal
welfare groups and the pets about
whom we all care so much?
For each day shelter staff spend searching for perfect pet parents,
we lose about 11,000 adoptable pets to euthanasia.
Pets, Families and
Shelters Win with
Open Adoptions
Adjusting our approach
can help everyone
PetSmart Charities research suggests
that animal welfare groups create
these restrictive processes because
they care so deeply about securing
a happy future for the pets in
their care.
But rigid adoption requirements
and tight controls don’t guarantee a
perfect home or a better life. Many
times, they can cause more harm
than good — increasing the time pets
spend in shelters and leaving less
space for other pets in need.
Adoption agencies with strict
requirements practice “closed
adoptions.” Agencies with
conversation-based adoption
requirements employ a newer model:
“open adoptions.”
Following an open adoptions
philosophy means replacing rigid,
strict adoption criteria with an
easier, more patron-friendly process.
PetSmart Charities supports open
adoptions because it can help save
more lives while reducing people’s
anxiety about tough application
processes. I speak at events around
the country about the value of
practicing open adoptions — I’ve
seen firsthand how it can improve the
lives of pets, families, shelter staff and
volunteers.
PetSmart Charities supports
open adoptions because it can
help save more lives.
Pets, Families and
Shelters Win with
Open Adoptions
Here’s how the adoption process
might differ in closed and open
adoptions systems:
•T
he conversation. In an
open adoptions process, the
representative will examine how
each potential pet parent is
adoption worthy, rather than how
they aren’t. This evaluation can be
more intensive and interview-like in
a closed adoptions process.
•T
he paperwork. For groups that
use an open adoptions process,
the goal of this paperwork is to
help the agency better understand
your lifestyle and which type of pet
best suits your family. In a closed
adoptions process, the agency uses
the paperwork to help eliminate the
pets who don’t suit your family.
•T
aking your pet home … soon.
Agencies that practice open
adoptions will allow you to take
your pet home the same day. Those
that follow a closed adoptions
process may require a background
check and/or home visit to ensure
the pet’s long-term safety and
needs will be satisfied.
If you’re adopting a pet, ask plenty
of questions about the agency’s
adoption process. That way, you
can make sure your expectations
are aligned with their philosophy,
and you’re prepared for the process.
If they’re not the right fit for you,
search for another group in your area.
Want to know more about
open adoptions? Read the
PetSmart Charities Report
on Adoption Forum II.
Early-Age
Spay/Neuter
Saves Lives
Shelter Vets Help
Reduce Euthanasia
By K
elly Harrison, DVM
Veterinary Program Manager
PetSmart Charities
The PetSmart Charities 2014 U.S.
Shelter Pet Report found that
23% of Americans don’t know at
what age it is safe to have their
pet spayed or neutered. I wasn’t
surprised to see that number,
considering I’ve met veterinarians
as well as pet parents who have
different ideas about the optimal
time to perform the surgery.
Another 13% didn’t spay or neuter
their pet because they thought
their pet was too young. A pet can
become pregnant before 6 months
of age. It can happen as soon as the
first heat cycle — when some pet
parents still think of their pet as a
kitten or a puppy.
Scientific literature shows that the
development of young pets is largely
complete by the time of an earlyage spay/neuter surgery, so it’s safe
for them to undergo anesthesia. The
practice also is endorsed by leading
veterinary colleges and animal
welfare organizations.
In the Journal of the American
Veterinary Medical Association, the
Association of Shelter Veterinarians
says that spay/neuter surgery is safe
for pets as young as 8 to 10 weeks
old. A pet does not have to reach
sexual maturity before being fixed.
Shelter vets ensure
pet health and safety
Altered pets live longer, healthier
lives. They are calmer and less likely
to wander or mark. Neutering your
male pet will reduce aggression
and make him less likely to get into
Early-Age
Spay/Neuter
Saves Lives
fights. The surgery can decrease or
eliminate the risk of certain cancers
for both male and female pets.
Anytime a kitten or puppy has
spay/neuter surgery — whether it’s
in a shelter or you take your pet
to a low-cost spay/neuter clinic —
a qualified, licensed veterinarian
performs the procedure. The
pet receives a complete medical
exam and pain medication, and
is monitored continually in case
adjustments are needed.
Spay/neuter surgery is a routine
procedure, but like any surgery,
veterinarians prepare for it
thoroughly. Early-age spay/
neuter patients are very young, so
veterinarians put safeguards in place
to prevent complications. They can
mitigate risks before, during and after
surgery through effective training and
careful planning, just as they would
if they were operating on an adult
pet or one with a known medical
condition.
Performing spay/neuter surgery on
a kitten or a puppy is much faster
than on an adult pet patient, which
means shorter anesthesia time and
a faster recovery for the patient.
I often see young pets playing and
eating just a few hours after surgery,
when adult pets take a bit longer.
Overall, the procedure is easier on the
patient, and complication rates are
generally lower with younger pets.
Shorter surgeries can enable
veterinarians to perform more
procedures on more pets in the same
amount of time, without sacrificing
patient care. In fact, high-quality,
high-volume spay/neuter clinics make
an even greater impact on the pet
overpopulation issue. They perform
highly efficient spay/neuter surgeries
on pets, like kittens and puppies, who
are at risk of producing unwanted or
unintentional litters.
Early-Age
Spay/Neuter
Saves Lives
Sharing the responsibility
for reducing euthanasia
Shelter staff, especially veterinarians,
are in a unique and influential
position to advocate for young pets.
Reputable studies have taught us
that if kittens and puppies are not
spayed or neutered before they are
adopted, they have less of a chance
of receiving the surgery after they
leave the shelter. Those unaltered
adopted pets can go on to produce
unplanned litters of pets, who are
often returned to the shelter and
become at risk of euthanasia. The
goal is to end this cycle.
Many adopters want kittens and
puppies. We have a responsibility to
ensure that these pets are spayed
or neutered before leaving our care.
By doing so, we ensure those pets
never create new litters at risk of
euthanasia. The surgery is in the best
interest of the pet medically, but it
also prevents the flow of pets back
into the shelter.
We can break the cycle of
euthanasia. Early-age spay/
neuter is the most effective
way to reduce the number of
homeless pets.
Why Trap-NeuterReturn (TNR)?
Spaying and Neutering
More Cats Prevents
Overpopulation
By B
ryan Kortis
Program Manager
PetSmart Charities
Did you know free-roaming cats
are responsible for the majority
of kittens produced in the U.S.?
Our PetSmart Charities 2014
U.S. Shelter Report showed
that nearly half (46%) of
Americans aren’t even aware
of free-roaming cats in their
communities.
Unfortunately, many of the kittens
from these litters eventually end up
in shelters, where they’re at high risk
for euthanasia. In fact, an estimated
11,000 cats and dogs every day, or
about 4 million each year, are
euthanized.
Spaying and neutering more cats
stops these litters from happening.
How to control free-roaming cats
However, free-roaming cats pose
a particular problem. These are
“community” cats, often without
identified owners to bring them
in for spay/neuter surgeries.
That’s where Trap-Neuter-Return
(TNR) can make a real difference.
It’s the only proven method to
humanely and effectively control
the free-roaming cat population,
and it often directly reduces a
community’s euthanasia rate
by lowering the number of
births and reducing intake into
already-crowded shelters.
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is the most humane, effective approach
to reducing the community cat population.
Community cats are
TRAPPED humanely.
Cats are brought to a
SPAY/NEUTER facility for
surgery and vaccinations.
After recovery, community
cats are RETURNED to where
they were trapped.
THE BENEFIT: Fewer, but healthier
and happier cats in Albuquerque.
The Trap-Neuter-Return process:
Ear tipping is the universal sign of a fixed community
cat. It’s done humanely during surgery, and ensures
the cat is not trapped for TNR again.
Set up humane
Perform
Return the
traps to capture
spay/neuter
cats to their
free-roaming cats
surgery on
original
in a targeted area
the cats
territory
At the end of
the TNR process,
a free-roaming
cat (whether feral, stray or
owned) has been spayed
or neutered, and received
a rabies vaccination and an
“eartip” during surgery as an
identifier. Whenever resources
allow, friendly cats and easily
socialized kittens are kept
for adoption.
The local benefits of TNR
Since TNR cats are not reproducing
when they’re returned to their
outdoor homes, their numbers start
to naturally decline. TNR is a nonlethal method for free-roaming
cat management — one that most
community members prefer over
euthanasia.
The cost of TNR can be much less
for a government agency than the
cost of trapping and removing
free-roaming cats. This is because
trapping and removing cats may
require a significant amount of an
animal control officer’s time, plus a
mandatory holding period for the
cat in the shelter followed by the
euthanasia procedure and disposal
of the body. So TNR, especially when
nonprofits and citizens bear most of
its costs, can save taxpayer dollars.
As the community embraces TNR and
cat intake into local shelters declines,
more cost savings are realized in
this way.
Animal control and public health
officials will also be less burdened.
TNR helps to reduce or resolve many
common complaints about the cats,
such as yowling, fighting and spraying
— easing the staff’s cat-related
workload.
In addition, TNR cats tend to protect
their food source when they have
only enough to feed themselves,
discouraging new cats from moving
into the territory. Cats can still serve
the community by providing natural
rodent control, which is beneficial in
both urban and rural environments.
Plus, communities where rabies is
endemic among local wildlife are safer
with a managed group of vaccinated,
non-reproducing cats. TNR works,
and can make a real difference in your
community.1
References
Chu, K. & Anderson, W. M., “U.S. public opinion on humane
treatment of stray cats,” Law & Policy Brief. Bethesda, MD:
Alley Cat Allies, September 2007.
Kortis, B., “Community TNR: Tactics and Tools.” PetSmart
Charities, 2014.
1
Levy, J., “Humane strategies for controlling feral cat
populations”, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical
Assn., Vol. 225, No. 9.
PetSmart Charities, Inc.
is a nonprofit animal welfare
organization that saves the
lives of homeless pets.
Acknowledgments:
Laura Ingalls, Heather
Vana, Jennifer Greenwood,
Chellie Buzzeo and Gwenn
Wells contributed to the
preparation of this report.
Ipsos MarketQuest
conducted the survey.
Saving Pets’ Lives Together
19601 North 27th Avenue
Phoenix, Arizona, 85027
1-800-423-PETS
Learn more at petsmartcharities.org
PetSmart Charities, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) with the vision of a lifelong, loving home for every pet. PetSmart Charities is a registered trademark of PetSmart, Inc.

US Shelter Pet Report

Transcription

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