SHELTER TO SHELTER
Where Northeast Ohio animal shelters connect.
The Evolution of Shelters
Where did shelters begin? Where are they now? What comes next?
The environment can be greatly impacted by the invasion of cats, dogs, and other species that humans have decided to have as pets over the years. For example, the number of birds predated on by free-ranging domestic cats is approximately 1.3–4.0 billion and the number of mammals killed by free-ranging domestic cats is approximately 6.3–22.3 billion annually (1)(3). Some species have even been hunted to extinction by cats. These numbers include predation by stray cats, feral cats, and house cats allowed to roam outdoors unattended. The estimates are also only a conservative estimate of the impact outdoor cats can have on the environment. Other types of pets, from dogs, to rabbits, to exotic pets released into the wild can also have dire effects on the local ecosystem and become invasive. Support of shelters is one way to mitigate this issue. Proper management of the animals in these shelters plus education of the public on proper pet care and resources for assistance in local communities is a big part of the solution.
Although sometimes controversial, animal shelters in part work to lower the impact of domestic pets on the ecosystem by providing healthy, spayed and neutered animals to appropriate homes where their care is tended to and their impact on the natural environment can be somewhat controlled. This has not always been the case, however, and shelters have changed quite a bit over the last four decades.
Animal shelters evolved from pounds, which in colonial towns served to round up and hold wandering livestock that could be reclaimed from the poundmaster for a cost (4). Monetary value was placed on these farm animals, and they were often reclaimed by previous owners. Pounds then began to be used to hold loose dogs and cats. These types of animals were often euthanized because little value was placed on them.
Founded in 1866, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). This was considered the first animal welfare organization in America (4). They initially focused on the mistreatment of horses, not dogs and cats. Other humane organizations were created in major cities following the ASPCA. The concept of animal control and shelters slowly became commonplace in cities, and licenses began to be issued as a way to fund these programs. During these early times, the shelter's primary role was not to provide humane care and treatment of the animals, or to get them adopted, but to provide public safety and to protect private property rights by removing animals from the streets. The Women's Branch of the Pennsylvania SPCA in Philadelphia became the first group to focus on the wellbeing of shelter animals in 1874 (4).
Initially, as we moved away from ‘pounds’, what we call ‘shelters’ were places where stray and unwanted animals were held for temporary periods of time in the hopes, sometime minimal, that they would be adopted. Relinquishment of a pet dog or cat to a shelter was usually based on a variety of factors, at the top of which include aggression and inappropriate elimination behaviors (6). Euthanasia rate were high; according to the Humane Society (2) “Before 1970, animal shelter populations and euthanasia rates in the U.S. were rapidly increasing and shelters were routinely euthanizing over 100 dogs and cats per 1,000 people in their communities.”
.jpg)
Until the mid 1970s, spay and neuter operations were not done by shelters or veterinarians as a matter of course, and were highly expensive procedures that many could not afford. In 1971, the first low-cost spay/neuter clinic was opened in Los Angeles. This clinic began a national debate about the issue of spaying/neutering, and private practice veterinarians began to perform surgical sterilizations at a much greater rate and for cheaper prices (2). Since then, the numbers of both intake of animals at shelters and euthanasia have decreased, especially in cats. Though there hasn’t been much research done on the topic, this may indicate decreased populations of cats outdoor because of spay and neuter programs.
Trap/Neuter/Release (TNR) programs are also available for feral cats. However, while spaying and neutering feral cats does help, until cat owners regularly spay/neuter pet cats, especially those that are allowed outdoors, the impact on the feral cat population will be negligible (5).This research claims that “...all these efforts without an effective education of people to control the reproduction of house cats (as a prevention for abandonment) are a waste of money, time and energy.” Therefore, education is the real key. People must be made understand why spaying or neutering their pets is important.
A Better Future
The shelter has evolved in the last few decades from what it used to be. They are no longer simple holding places for unclaimed animals, or used primarily for public safety. Shelters have become places of education, medicine, ethics, and altruism. No shelter is perfect, but each strives to provide space for pets needing homes and to provide happy, healthy animals for it’s clients. One of the most visible changes is the rise of the no-kill movement in shelters, which began in San Francisco in 1989 . The San Francisco SPCA began to work with the San Francisco municipal animal control agency to end the euthanasia of animals deemed adoptable (4). Many other animal shelters picked up this trend, which had lead to an often ongoing philosophical debate about the use of euthanasia as a source of animal control. Despite the controversy, the result of the debate has been increased efforts by shelters and other organizations to decrease the number of adoptable animals that are euthanized (4). The change was brought about by focusing on programs that increase adoption rate, reduce animal surrenders, and help to control unrestricted reproduction by pets.
TBC...
For a more detailed look at the history of animal shelters, please visit:
http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/animal-sheltering-united-states-yesterday-today-and-tomorrow?id=&sk=&date=&%0A%09%09%09&pageID=2
References
1. Blancher, P. (2013) Estimated Number of Birds Killed by House Cats (Felis catus) in Canada. Avian Conservation and Ecology 8(2): 3. http://dx.doi.org/10.5751/ACE-00557-080203
2.Humane Society (2017). Animal sheltering trends in the U.S.. Retrieved from http://www.humanesociety.org/animal_community/resources/timelines/animal_sheltering_trends.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/ on 03/30/2017.
3.Loss, S. R., Will, T. & Marra, P. P. (2013). The impact of free-ranging domestic cats on wildlife of the United States. Nature Communications. 4:1396 | DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2380 | www.nature.com/naturecommunications 2013 Macmillan Publishers Limited.
4.Miller, L. (2007). Animal sheltering in the United States: Yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Veterinary Medicine. Retrieved from http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/animal-sheltering
-united-states-yesterday-today-and-tomorrow on 04/12/2017.
5.Natoli, E. ,Maragliano, L., Cariola, G., Faini, A., Bonanni, R., Cafazzo, S., & Fantini, C. (2006). Management of feral domestic cats in the urban environment of Rome (Italy). Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Vol. 77, 3–4, pp. 180–185.
6.Salman, M.D., Hutchison, J., Ruch-Gallie, R., Kogan, L., New Jr, J.C., Kass, P.H. & Scarlett, J.M. (2010). Behavioral Reasons for Relinquishment of Dogs and Cats to 12 Shelters.
Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science. Vol. 3 (2), pp. 93-106. http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/S15327604JAWS0302_2
FAQ
Approximately 3.2 million shelter animals are adopted each year (1.6 million dogs and 1.6 million cats). About 710,000 animals who enter shelters as strays are returned to their owners. Of those, 620,000 are dogs and only 90,000 are cats.