Rand Jacquie, Lancaster Emily, Inwood Georgina, Cluderay Carolyn, Marston Linda
School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia.
Australian Pet Welfare Foundation, Kenmore, QLD 4069, Australia.
Animals (Basel). 2018 Jun 21;8(7):100. doi: 10.3390/ani8070100.
Using euthanasia to manage dog and cat overpopulation causes health issues and emotional stress in employees involved, increases staff turnover, and has financial, moral and ethical ramifications for communities. Welfare agencies and local government agencies (councils) share responsibility for managing companion animal populations. This study investigated Australian councils in the state of Victoria, to identify strategies used to reduce euthanasia. Statistics regarding animal populations, registration, intake, reclaim, rehome and euthanasia were obtained from the Domestic Animal Management Plan of each council. Of the 79 Victorian councils, 74% achieved ≤10% euthanasia of impounded dogs, which is widely quoted as zero euthanasia of adoptable and treatable animals. The mean euthanasia rates for cats by the councils was 48%, with only one council achieving a euthanasia rate of ≤10% for cats. Mean reclaim rates for dogs were higher (73%) than for cats (13%), as was the mean proportion of unclaimed dogs rehomed (71%), compared to cats (45%). Telephone questionnaires were conducted with animal management officers from 35 councils (44%). Those with low euthanasia rates had high reclaim rates and/or rehome rates. Reclaim, rehome and euthanasia rates for dogs and cats were not significantly different between councils that operated their own pound facilities and those that utilized the services of welfare organizations to operate pounds on behalf of the council. More council managers believed they would never achieve ≤10% euthanasia for cats (49%) than for dogs (11%). A variety of strategies were used by councils to achieve high reclaim and rehoming rates.
使用安乐死来控制猫狗数量过多会给相关员工带来健康问题和情绪压力,增加员工流动率,并且对社区产生财务、道德和伦理方面的影响。福利机构和地方政府机构(议会)共同承担管理伴侣动物数量的责任。本研究调查了维多利亚州的澳大利亚议会,以确定用于减少安乐死的策略。有关动物数量、登记、收容、认领、重新安置和安乐死的统计数据来自每个议会的家畜管理计划。在79个维多利亚州议会中,74%的议会实现了被收容狗的安乐死率≤10%,这一比例被广泛引用为可收养和可治疗动物的零安乐死率。各议会猫的平均安乐死率为48%,只有一个议会实现了猫的安乐死率≤10%。狗的平均认领率(73%)高于猫(13%),无人认领狗被重新安置的平均比例(71%)也高于猫(45%)。对35个议会(44%)的动物管理官员进行了电话问卷调查。安乐死率低的议会认领率和/或重新安置率高。运营自己收容所设施的议会和利用福利组织服务代表议会运营收容所的议会,猫狗的认领、重新安置和安乐死率没有显著差异。更多的议会管理者认为他们永远无法实现猫的安乐死率≤10%(49%),而狗的这一比例为11%。议会采用了多种策略来实现高认领率和高重新安置率。