By Annette Basile
ninemsn

People working on the frontlines of animal welfare all have the same mantra: desex your pet. But a summit on Queensland's Gold Coast has taken that mantra one step further, calling for pets to be desexed prior to sale — a proposal that involves a radical re-think of current veterinary practices. It's an urgent issue, with around 550 dogs and cats put down every day in Australia's pounds and animal shelters.

Over 130 delegates from across Australia and New Zealand came together in mid-June for the National Summit to End Pet Overpopulation, a three-day event that was organised and sponsored by the Animal Welfare League of Queensland (AWL Qld), the National Desexing Network, and Animals Australia — a peak animal protection body.

Although similar conferences have taken place before, the summit broke new ground by drawing not only animal refuges and welfare groups, but all other stakeholders: vets, breeders, and representatives from local and state governments and the pet industry — an Australian first.

The euthanasia of healthy pets had emotional, ethical and financial costs, said Joy Verrinder, one of the summit organisers and spokeswoman for the AWL Qld. "The majority of the community value companion animals ... once they know those animals are being killed, they definitely do not agree with it. Surveys we've done have demonstrated that very clearly."

There were several inter-relating reasons behind the high number of animals euthanased, but the bottom line, said Verrinder, was there were simply "too many animals being born for the number of homes available". Which gets back to the desexing issue.

So why aren't we desexing our pets? Some viewed desexing as a "non-essential procedure", said Verrinder, and did not understand the impact desexing had on cutting euthanasia numbers. Some men, notoriously, feel uncomfortable about male pets being neutered, while others just can't afford to have their pet desexed. In addition, there are many semi-owned cats that people feed but are not desexed.

To the summit's delegates, the obvious solution is for all pets to be desexed before they're sold or given away, unless someone has a legitimate and specific interest in breeding. The summit also concluded pets should be microchipped before sale, facilitating the return of stray pets to their homes.

A different view

The current recommendation by most veterinarians is to have puppies and kittens desexed when they reach six months of age. Verrinder says research shows that early desexing — from 8 weeks — carries no greater risk on the operating table but does involve different pre- and post-operative care, which vets will require training in.

AWL Qld has liaised with University of Queensland's Centre for Companion Animal Health and veterinary faculty, who are now making moves to introduce the pet overpopulation issue and training in early age desexing into their veterinary course.

As well as a range of local speakers, the summit featured international guests, two of them focusing on desexing: Dr Marvin Mackie, a veterinary specialist in early age desexing, and Esther Mechler of Spay USA, whose network of subsidised desexing programs and mobile desexing units has helped reduce the number of pound and shelter animals being killed from 12 million in the US in 1990 to 4.3 million in 2005.

Of the summit's five resolutions, three focussed on desexing: the desexing and microchipping of pets prior to sale or exchange, a push for early age desexing, and the decision to look at which areas in Australia have the highest numbers of unowned dogs and cats, and introduce desexing programs in those locations.

The summit also resolved to get to the bottom of the statistics issue. One of the problems facing those tackling pet overpopulation is the lack of accurate figures, making it difficult to get a baseline and track progress. The estimate is that 200,000 healthy cats and dogs are killed each year in Australia, but that, said Verrinder, was a "conservative estimate".

"Only Victoria and NSW currently gather statistics at state level, however, at the moment there is no state in Australia that's gathering those statistics compulsorily," she said. "We need comprehensive uniform stats, particularly about the number of animals that are coming in to pounds and shelters, and the number of animals being euthanased."

The question of cats

It was also resolved to develop a policy for unowned, free-roaming cats in Australia — a term preferred to "feral cats", which is regarded as having a derogatory connotation. "Cats," said Verrinder, "get a lot of bad press."

"I think there's been a huge issue where people have been concerned about the environment and they tried to transfer the blame on to cats. It's true that cats have had a significant impact on wildlife in some areas like peninsulas and island groups, but in general humans are the worst for wildlife loss in terms of habitat reduction and pollution."

"That came through very clearly at the summit: we have to get over this issue of wanting to blame the cats and get better and looking after both the cats and the wildlife, because it's humans that are the problem. One strategy that was explored at the summit was 'trap/neuter/return', which has been used extensively in the USA to humanely manage unowned free-roaming cats. However, due to the complexity of the issue it was decided that further investigations needed to be made."

The solution-focussed summit also resulted in a coalition of representatives from each state and stakeholder group to "keep progressing with the issues and keep moving forward".

Some animal welfare and rights groups have called for a total ban on animals being sold in pet shops (in line with the UK and parts of Europe), saying that pet shops encourage impulse buying, and that the dogs are often supplied by unscrupulous puppy mills. The summit, however, opted to work with the pet industry.

"If they (pet shops) are going to sell animals they need to be part of the solution. The fact that the Pet Industry Association of Australia, which has a code of practice and is working towards higher standards for pet shops, was represented at the summit was a good indication it is trying to be part of the solution."

But not all pet shops are part of the Pet Industry Association. "The people that are on the fringes are the problem — the puppy farms, the people who are breeding without any idea what they're doing and just selling through newspapers, and the pet shops who are only interested in profit and not the wellbeing of animals and who don't belong to that organisation.

"While hopefully the Pet Industry Association will be leaders in introducing desexing and microchipping prior to sale into their code of practice for member pet shops, we strongly believe all pet shops, breeders and anyone who's selling animals need to be regulated with a compulsory code of practice, through government legislation, to desex and microchip prior to sale or exchange."

Another surefire way to reduce pet overpopulation, said Verrinder, was to adopt a pound or shelter animal. Pound and shelter animals sometimes have a bad image, with prospective pet owners often thinking they must have something wrong with them to have ended up behind bars. But Verrinder insisted this was not the case. The animals are instead usually victims of human circumstance or ignorance. "People find that animals they get from a shelter have beautiful temperaments and turn out to be wonderful pets."

National Desexing Month will take place in August. Call the National Desexing Network on 1 300 368 992 or visit www.ndn.org.au to find out the veterinarians in your area who offer reduced priced desexing or special incentives.

---

Source: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=113716

Originally Posted July 1, 2005 (slight modifications have been made)

This is turning into one of the hottest seasons on record,  and as we shed our layers of clothes to try and beat the heat, our animal companions are often stuck in the same coat they wore in the winter. Heat can be deadly for pets and here are some tips to maximize a pet’s comfort during the season.

1. Try to keep the pet indoors in a cool room, especially ill pets, older pets or really young ones as they are affected the most by heat.
2. Change walking or jogging with your dog to the early morning or late at night. The heat of the asphalt roads can severely damage paws.
3. Along the lines of paws, when your pet is outside, limit the pet to staying on the grass as it is much cooler.
4. If animals must be outside make sure that they have plenty of shade to access.
5. Always leave at least two bowls of water outside that your pet can reach. This way, if he finishes one or one gets knocked over he will still have water. Feel free to put an ice cube or two into the water-it keeps the water cold and makes it more interesting to drink.
6. Brush your pets regularly to get rid of dead fur. For some animals this can mean losing a thick blanket the first time you brush. 

Be aware of the fact that pets can get sunburn just like people, especially around the nose and on ears. A vet can let you know of a brand of sunscreen that is safe for animals.

---

In the hot weather, it is very important that you are familiar with the signs of heatstroke:

1. Elevated body temperature at about 104 degrees or higher
2. Extreme panting—hyperventilation
3. Staggering while walking
4. Seizures
5. Vomiting
6. Anxiety 

These are some but not all of the symptoms. If you think that your pet is suffering from heat stroke please:

1. Move the animal to shade or inside somewhere cool
2. Apply icepacks or cool towels to the neck, head, and chest
3. Try to give the animal water or let it lick ice
4. Immerse your pet in cool water. Ice cold water can cause blood vessels to constrict making the cooling process more difficult.
5. Go to the veterinarian. Wrap the animal in cool towels on the way there. Even if you think the worst is over internal damage to the organs may have taken place.

---

Summer is the time when many people travel, often taking their pets with them. However, this can sometimes be deadly to pets. Never leave your pet in the car, even if you park in the shade and crack the windows. Even on an 85 degree day a car can become lethal in under a half an hour. In even hotter weather, the time is cut down to mere minutes.

In many states, it is against the law to leave your pet in a parked car if your animal could be in danger from it. Feel free to call authorities or animal control if you see a parked car with animals in it.

You can do many fun activities with your pet in the summer. You can go on picnics in the park, walk pet friendly trails, and go to pet friendly beaches. When going for walks with your dog, stay away from algae in stagnant ponds. There are some highly toxic varieties that can kill your dog. If you do go swimming with your pets in salt water, wash them off with clean water after. Salt can irritate their skin. If you happen to go boating with your pet, why not make him or her wear a pet designed life preserver as well. Accidents do happen, even if your pet can swim.

---

Have a wonderful (and safe) summer.

---

Resources used: http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/cool_it_summers_heat_can_be_deadly_for_your_pet.html  by: Rebecca Simmons
http://www.pawsitivepets.com/traveltips/summer-heat.shtml
http://www.ktvo.com/Global/story.asp?S=3518671  by: Tracy Crockett
http://vetmedicine.about.com/cs/summerinfo/a/summersafety.htm  by: Janet Tobiassen Crosby, DVM
http://cats.about.com/cs/catmanagement101/a/heatstroke.htm  by: Franny Syufy
http://www.cvm.uiuc.edu/ope/enotes/showarticle.cfm?id=61  by Dr. Christine Merle
http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=hotweather

This I posted last year, but I want to stress it again before the Fourth of July. I have slightly edited it.

I wanted to post a warning to you all about pets and fireworks. While fireworks may be pretty for humans to watch they can be terrifying for our pets. 
Fireworks are very loud and with a better sense of hearing they can do some serious damage to pets' ears. The noise could also just scare them. If you have a pet that is afraid of thunderstorms, I know I do (my cat Zoe hides under the kitchen table and Midnight, another one of my cats, hides under my bed), you can bet that he or she will be afraid of the fireworks.
Please keep your pets inside. You don't want your pets to run off; even if they are tied up, they can break the rope or chain. Outside cats may refuse to leave their hiding place, thus staying out all night. Also keep them away from windows. Growing up, my grandmother had a dog that her family put in their basement for the Fourth of July. It still heard the fireworks, and he was so frightened that he jumped through the window, and it died in the backyard from all of its wounds.
The holiday is also one where many people could be drinking, and driving afterwards; no one wants an accident to happen with their pets being the victims.
These are not something anyone wants to come home to after a fun night of cookouts and fireworks, so please keep your pets safe this holiday weekend.

Have a fun and safe holiday weekend everyone!

Happy Adopt-A-Shelter Cat month!

• Cats' hearts beat twice as fast as human hearts, at 110 to 140 beats per minute.
• Cats spend 30 percent of their waking hours grooming themselves.
• Cats lack a true collarbone. That means if their head can fit through something, their body can, too.
• Cats’ night vision is six times better than that of humans and their sense of smell is 14 times stronger.
• Cats have a special scent organ located in the roof of their mouth, called the Jacobson's organ. It analyzes smells - and is the reason why you will sometimes see your cat "sneer" when they encounter a strong odor.
• In relation to their body size, cats have the largest eyes of any mammal.
• Cats purr at the same frequency as an idling diesel engine, about 26 cycles per second.
• Domestic cats purr both when inhaling and when exhaling.
• Ancient Egyptian family members shaved their eyebrows in mourning when the family cat died.

---

Sources:
Cat Facts and Trivia compiled by Glenda Moore http://www.xmission.com/~emailbox/trivia.htm
Progressive Animal Welfare Society in an email dated 5/31/06

I wanted to let you all know about a site that I have had an account at since March of 2004. Care2.com is a site that combines Click to Donate oportunities (from saving the Rainforest to helping support Breast Cancer treatment), petitions of all kinds, an email service, and forums where people with the same interests can join and talk about a multitude of different topics. It is also a good source of information about healthy alternatives to many things that harm the body or environment.

There are many animal related forums on Care2. There are plenty of large groups, such as the ASPCA group consisting of 16,527 members, the Pets in Need group with 34,814 members, Defenders of Wildlife with 31,341 members, the National Audubon Society consisting of 11,327 members, and the Jane Goodall Institute with 46,852. New members join all the time, and these are often among the most talkative groups.

There are also plenty of smaller groups that are wonderful as well. Here are some that are related to our domestic animal friends:

• Recycled Pets with a membership of 104 lists many animals that need homes from shelters across the country. Each state has a thread. Feel free to post animals from the states where you are from or browse what has been posted to maybe find the pet you have been looking for.
• "Brainstorm ideas, share your knowledge and find new ways to support the animal welfare movement in your community and around the world" in the Implementing Pet Programs group.
• In the Happy Tails group one can share "success stories for our furry friends. Post them. Read them. Remind yourself what you're fighting for and reward yourself for what you've all ready accomplished."
• "Knowledge is power" in the Animal Education group. "It is our goal to provide you with the tools to go out and fight the injustices you encounter in the world, and also what those injustices are. The future lives within you and lives are in your hands. Educate yourself today!"
• Animal Crackers is "a group for animal lovers! We can share photos, stories, and post about pets we know in need of homes. If you love helping pets out or own your own pet, please join us!"
• The Puppy Passions Rescue and Transport Companion Pets group "offers more helpful resources, reputable sites & links, informational materials,animal welfare updates, petitions, abuse awareness, professionals involved in animal rescue, non-profit entities, as well, as volunteer transporting & home checking."

There are also numerous forums dedicated to a specific animal. The Elephant Lovers group is one example.

Not all groups are animal related there are many common interest groups, groups about healthy cooking, about governmental issues, everyone can find a group that they are interested in. I'm a member of all of the groups I have listed and more.

So join Care2 and find out how easy it is to support a cause, make friends, sign petitions, and join groups. And when you join those groups post away and enjoy!

I urge you all to take a look at Help Save the Animals of New Orleans. A new hurricane season is fast approaching but animals from Katrina still need help! Food supplies are low, and volunteers are needed from all over to help out with animal care.

You can find travel information here: Travel to New Orleans

Can't travel? Donate.

Visit Animal Rescue New Orleans for more information.

---

"Animal Rescue New Orleans (ARNO) is an organization created and dedicated to the rescue and aid of abandoned and homeless animals in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana and Mississippi, including responding to the immediate needs of those animals in need of medical care, or who have been neglected, abused and deprived of love. ARNO promotes the foster, adoption, and reunion of pets with caretakers, as well as spaying/neutering of all companion animals."

From the Humane Society:

---

Support the Captive Primate Safety Act

Safety and health risks: Nonhuman primates in our homes and communities pose serious risks to public health and safety. In July 2005, an escaped monkey in Ohio jumped into a passing truck and bit the driver. A local detective commenting on the search for the macaque monkey highlighted the disease risk: "The animal control experts I've talked to said they'd rather have a lion or a tiger on the loose than this kind of monkey." The March 2005 attack of a California man by chimpanzees who escaped their confinement is another example of how dangerous these animals can be. Nonhuman primates can cause injury and spread life-threatening disease. Because of the health risks, importing nonhuman primates to the United States for the pet trade has been banned by federal regulation since 1975. Nevertheless, there is still a vigorous trade in these animals. Animal welfare groups estimate that 15,000 nonhuman primates are in private hands in the U.S. They are readily available from exotic animal dealers and over the Internet.

Dangerous behavior: Infant primates may seem cute and cooperative, but they inevitably grow larger, stronger, and more aggressive. They may become many times stronger than humans and extremely difficult to handle. They can inflict serious harm by biting and scratching. Removing their teeth, as many pet owners do, is cruel and no safeguard against injury. About 100 people have been injured by nonhuman primates over the past ten years -- including 29 children -- while many more incidents likely have occurred but gone unreported.

Disease threat: Nonhuman primates can spread diseases that pose serious health risks to humans, including Herpes B virus, monkeypox, tuberculosis, and yellow fever. Most macaque monkeys naturally carry the deadly Herpes B virus, for example. Research published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concludes that the risk of disease transmission makes macaques unsuitable as pets.

Animal welfare concerns: Nonhuman primates require a specialized diet, companionship of other nonhuman primates, and housing in very large enclosures -- needs the average pet owner cannot meet. A chimpanzee who becomes too difficult to handle at age eight might live another 50 years. There are few options to place these animals. Zoos will not take them, and reputable sanctuaries are near capacity. They may end up confined to small cages, sold to substandard roadside menageries, or back in the cycle of breeding and adding to the exotic animal trade.

No impact on federally licensed facilities: The legislation has been narrowly crafted. It will not affect trade or transportation of animals for zoos, research facilities, universities, or accredited wildlife sanctuaries.

Support of zoos and other organizations: The American Zoo and Aquarium Association, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the Jane Goodall Institute, and more than 40 other organizations have joined The Humane Society of the United States in urging Congress to pass the Captive Primate Safety Act. AZA's policy for member zoos is that "under no circumstances are primates to be disposed of to a private individual or to the pet trade."

Federal legislation is needed: There is only a patchwork of state laws prohibiting primates as pets, and many of these animals move in interstate commerce. The Captive Primate Safety Act (H.R. 1329 and S. 1509) amends the Lacey Act by adding monkeys, apes, and other nonhuman primates to the list of animals who cannot be transported across state lines for the pet trade, just as the Captive Wildlife Safety Act did for lions, tigers, and other big cats.

» Urge your Senator on the Environment and Public Works Committee to pass the Captive Primate Safety Act.

Support the Captive Primate Safety Act

This Tuesday, May 23, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works will consider the Captive Primate Safety Act (S. 1509) -- sponsored by Senators James Jeffords (I-VT) and Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) -- which will end interstate commerce in monkeys, chimpanzees, and other primates as pets. Please contact your Senator who serves on this committee today to ask him or her to support this important legislation to protect public health and safety and promote animal welfare.

There is a booming pet trade in monkeys and apes in the United States, with an estimated 15,000 primates in private hands. Please take action today to help end the trade in lives.

TAKE ACTION

1. If you live in Vermont or Rhode Island, please make a brief polite phone call and thank your U.S. Senator who is sponsoring the Captive Primate Safety Act. You can reach your Senator through the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 or click here to look up your Senator and his or her Capitol phone number. All you need to say is:

"My name is [your name] and I'm calling from [your city and state]. As a constituent of [your Senators' name], I am calling to thank the Senator for sponsoring the Captive Primate Safety Act. Keeping primates as pets is dangerous and inhumane and I am grateful that the Senator is a leader on this issue. Thank you."

2. If you don't live in Vermont or Rhode Island, please make a phone call to your Senator who serves on the committee urging him or her to support this important legislation this Tuesday, May 23. All you need to say is:

"My name is [your name] and I'm calling from [your city and state]. As a constituent of [your Senators' name], I urge the Senator to support the Captive Primate Safety Act in this Tuesday's Environment and Public Works Committee meeting. Keeping primates as pets is dangerous and inhumane. They belong in the wild, not in our neighborhoods. Please help stop the trade in primates for pets and support the Captive Primate Safety Act. Thank you."

---

Feel Free to write a letter to your Senator as well. Click here to find out who your elected officials are.

Got this in my e-mail box today from the Humane Society and had to share.

---

Once again, your calls and e-mails have won the day in Congress! Earlier today, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved an amendment -- the Rahall-Whitfield-Sweeney-Spratt amendment -- to stop the commercial sale and slaughter of wild horses and burros. You and so many other HSUS supporters got so many calls and e-mails into the offices of your Members of Congress over the last few days that the traditional opponents of the legislation in the House caved in and agreed to support the amendment. Last year, this identical amendment passed by a vote of 249-159, which was a very decisive vote in our favor. But today, that vote was unanimous in support of the horses!

The fight to protect wild horses is a key component of the larger goal of ending all horse slaughter for human consumption. As you know, there are nearly 100,000 horses sent to three foreign-owned slaughterhouses operating in the United States. The horses are shipped in cattle trucks and sent to slaughterhouses, where these majestic animals are dismembered and then exported in order to please the palates of consumers in Belgium, France, and Japan.

While this was a hugely important win today, now we must get the same result in the U.S. Senate. Please contact your two U.S. Senators and urge them to co-sponsor S. 1915, the Ensign-Landrieu bill to stop horse slaughter.

We will provide you with updates as the vote in the Senate approaches, and future votes in the House. But let's not ease up. The horses are counting on our vigilance and our vigor in putting a stop to slaughter. Please share this good news with your friends and family and urge them to take action, too.

Thank you for your support, and congratulations to all.

Sincerely,



Wayne Pacelle
President & CEO
The Humane Society of the United States

---

Now let's get this passed in the Senate!