Guiding the way toward fewer unwanted pets SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — In the eyes of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians, it's all about doing what's right for animals and society, and advancing shelter medicine.
That's why a task force comprised of 22 veterinarians from around the country recently compiled – for the first time ever – guidelines for spay and neuter clinics, whose ultimate goal is to prevent overpopulation of dogs and cats and reduce the number of unwanted animals that are euthanized in U.S. shelters each year.
The guidelines, which are published in the July 1, 2008, issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, are based on acceptable practices that all spay-neuter programs can attain, says task force member and Association of Shelter Veterinarians Board member Brenda Griffin, DVM.
"Spay-neuter programs provide a community service," says Griffin, an assistant professor at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. "These programs allow pet owners, particularly low-income pet owners, to do the right thing, which is to control their pet's reproduction."
While exact numbers are not available, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals estimates that between 5 million and 9 million companion animals are euthanized in shelters each year due to a lack of space or resources to adequately care for them.
Griffin says that assembling spay-neuter guidelines will go a long way toward increasing public confidence in spay-neuter programs. Being able to have a pet neutered greatly increases the chance the pet will stay in the home and out of the shelter.
"These programs bring a basic level of care to animals," she says. "The guidelines are designed to highlight the acceptable standards and set a bar for performance."
Griffin says the most recognized sources of shelter impoundment are pets and their offspring belonging to low-income owners, and feral and free-roaming cats. The taxpayer cost associated with sheltering these animals and euthanizing those that go unclaimed is estimated at about $2 billion, she says.
"Taxpayer dollars are going toward removing these animals from the streets, housing them and euthanizing them," she says. "It is a very complex problem, but I like to believe that most of us prefer to live in a society that doesn't dispose of dogs and cats through euthanasia."
Griffin says task force members believe that establishing spay-neuter guidelines will focus more attention on the role such programs play in controlling pet populations and could lead to more funding.
"This is a really important and valuable practice area that deserves to be advanced," she says. "Instead of spending money on euthanizing these animals, let's spend it on preventive strategies, like spay-neuter programs that target the most vulnerable populations."
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The AVMA and its more than 76,000 member veterinarians are engaged in a wide variety of activities dedicated to advancing the science and art of animal, human and public health. Visit the AVMA Web site at www.avma.org for more information.
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