WELFARE - Where are all the Cats?

An encouraging trend for cat lovers indicates that feline populations in shelters have been on the general decline in recent years.

While the trend is apparent in areas in both Canada and the U.S., shelters continue to report there is far more work to be done and some areas continue to face burgeoning cat populations – including the Calgary Humane Society (CHS) in Calgary, Alberta.

“The economy is hitting everybody hard, but in Alberta we are right in that oil and gas bubble where there have been massive layoffs and many people forced to downsize or move (out of province) to find work,” explained Sage Pullen McIntosh, spokesperson for the CHS.

The shelter ran an adoption campaign at the end of June, waiving fees for cats older than seven months to help free up space in their overcrowded cat corridors.

While Pullen McIntosh said that their intake was up 185 cats by June 28 of 2016, compared to intake at the same time in 2015, these numbers were not impacted by the early June Ft. MacMurray wildfire dubbed as ‘The Beast’; the shelter did provide emergency boarding for animals from the northern community hard hit by the raging fire, but has since reunited all animals but one cat with their owners.

From Jan. 1-June 28, 2016, the CHS has admitted 2,770 animals, of which 1690 were cats.

Pullen-McIntosh said the information they have gathered from people who surrender their pets (although stray and abandoned cat intake numbers have also risen) indicate job loss, moving and other effects of a downturn in the economy over the last year or so have been the biggest reasons for giving up their pet.

In other areas, however, the combination of improved adoption programs, public education and prevention campaigns and responsible pet ownership seem to be bringing overall shelter cat numbers down and adoptions up.

“We have definitely seen a steady decrease of cat populations in our shelters over the last few years… But overall reduction really isn’t that drastic. We still have much work to do,” said Mary Lou Leiher, who works as a program manager for Toronto Animal Services and is also the president of the Association of Animal Shelter Administrators of Ontario (AASAO).

The AASAO is a unique organization that is an ‘affiliation of professionals committed to excellence in the management and operation of animal care, control and welfare organizations’.

Leiher credits the general reduction from AASAO member shelters, including the City of Toronto and the Ottawa Humane Society, to a number of factors, such as ongoing public education campaigns; successful prevention programs such as the City of Toronto’s CHIP truck for microchipping, licensing and rabies and the SNYP truck for mobile spaying/neutering programs; improved adoption programs through shelters; and the trendiness of choosing to adopt rather than buy from a breeder.

“Shelters have also changed their adoption practices. We understand it’s better to educate people rather than turn them down…people will just go somewhere else if you won’t work with them and then you’ve lost that connection,” explained Leiher.

“If you don’t like the answer, change the conversation.”

These stats of increased adoptions and lowered intake rates of shelter cats are further evidenced by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

According to Dr. Emily Weiss, this notion of ‘changing the conversation’ and working with families and individuals looking to adopt pets, rather than turning away people who may otherwise look to less favourable solutions to obtain a pet (puppy mills) has been key to the overall decrease in areas such as New England.

Weiss made note of the American Pet Product Association’s (APPA) pet owners survey where the data shows some significant changes in where people obtain their cats today compared to ten years ago.

By Lindsay Seewalt

Lindsay is an experienced journalist and mother of three whose heart and home is always open to a four-legged friend. With her Corgi, Angie, as household editor-in-chief, Lindsay gives back to the animal planet through the written word on anything and all ado about pets. She is passionate about topics regarding animal welfare and responsible pet ownership, which she aims to instill in both her readers and children to be compassionate animal lovers who are conscious and considerate that furry friends around the globe deserve a voice.

Despite Breed Ban, Toronto Dog Bites Increase

(bestfriends.org)

Despite a breed-based ban culminating in a dramatic drop in the number of pit bull type dogs in Ontario, reported cases of canine bites has increased.

In Toronto, for instance, there were 576 bites in 2004 (a year before the ban) and 767 in 2014, Global News recently reported.

The numbers are not what those who backed the ban would have predicted. 

Indeed, then-Attorney General Michael Bryant, assured the ban was “the beginning of the end of the reign of terror, imposed by pit bulls” and would “over time” mean “fewer pit pull attacks.”

Now, however, the question illustrated by Global News remains – if almost all the pit bulls are gone, why do dog bite numbers continue to climb?

Parkdale-High Park MPP Cheri DiNovo, says it is because the problem was never with pit bulls. “I’m not surprised at all by those statistics,” she told Global. “I would think they were inevitable.”

Under the ban, four breeds often all referred to a'pit bulls' (pit bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers and American pit bull terriers) had to be kept muzzled or leashed in public and sterilized within two months of its passage and it became illegal to breed the dogs or import them into the province.

There are now just over 300 pit bulls in Ontario compared with more than 1,400 about a decade ago – and in theory, pit bulls should cease to exist in Toronto by 2020.

But as pit bull numbers dwindle, dog bites have continued to climb since 2012. In Toronto, bites hit the highest levels recorded this century in 2013 and 2014.

That is because other dogs do the biting.

In 2014, German shepherds, labs, and Rottweilers were among the top offenders along with little dogs including Jack Russell terriers, shih tzus and Maltese.

Some believe breed-based bans are a practical ploy to improve public safety.

While others, like Teegan Buckingham, with the Toronto Humane Society, say it has punished a particular breed - the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association estimating the law, by 2012, had led to more than 1,000 of the demonized dogs and puppies with no history of violence being euthanized. “We would love to see the pit bull ban lifted,” Buckingham told Global.

DiNovo favours a system similar to Calgary where officials have seen a dramatic drop in bites since the 1980s without a breed-based ban but by promoting education of dog owners, children and strict enforcement.

Bill Bruce, Calgary's animal services director at the time, spoke before an Ontario government committee several years after it imposed its ban to debunk beliefs it would mean less bites.

“What we did learn is that when you do ban a breed, of course, the bites go down for that specific breed; that’s no surprise,” Bruce told the committee. “If there are fewer of them, there are fewer opportunities. But what we found is that bites tend to go up dramatically in other breeds. Any dog, again, can bite, and it’s coming back on the owner to make that determination if a dog is safe or not.”

Dr. Dale Scott, president of the Ontario Veterinary Association at the time, told the committee breed-based bans do not work because they are based on incorrect assumptions not backed by scientific research - “that only certain breeds are dangerous and that all dogs that belong to those breeds are dangerous.”

By Nadia Moharib

Nadia Moharib is an animal lover who has adopted everything from birds to hamsters, salamanders, rabbits, fish and felines. She has written about all-things-pets for years and was a long-time editor of a pet magazine in a daily newspaper which featured a Q & A column, Ask Whit, penned by her pooch (ghost written, of course.) The serial dog owner lives in Calgary, Alberta and most days can be found at a dog park picking up after her rescue pooch, Scoots.

InfoStream reaches new milestone

Earlier today, InfoStream entered new territory when it surpassed 7,000 page views for the month of July. 

InfoStream has been a long-term strategy of PetLynx Corporation to develop a digital channel that reaches thought leaders in the urban animal industry. Launching in July 2007 with just over 200 page views in its first month, InfoStream has slowly but surely gained momentum. Today, InfoStream is lighting Google’s Global Map across North America, Russia, Europe, India and parts of Asia.




The goal of InfoStream is to provide real-time information to Urban Animal industry advocates, mentors, alunni, associates, collaborators and other subscribers. In the “New Economy”, access to current information provides a competitive advantage to those creating healthy communities for pets and people.

InfoStream, Trusted Information for the Urban Animal Industry.

Subscribe to InfoStream today, enter your email address:


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Canadians spending more year over year

Canadian households spent an average of $55,151 on goods and services in 2011, up 2.7% from 2010. This was slightly below the rate of inflation of 2.9% as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). 

Spending on shelter accounted for 27.6% of this total; transportation, 20.4% and food, 14.1%. 

Provincially, households in Alberta ($64,453) had the highest average spending on goods and services, followed by households in Ontario ($57,514). Households in P.E.I. ($45,190) reported the lowest average. 

Couples with children reported average spending on goods and serves of $75,543 in 2011. One-person senior (aged 65 and over) households reported average spending of $26,047. 

READ THE REPORT

Implications of a Declining Pet Population

2012 US Pet Ownership and Demographic Sourcebook

Evidence presented by Dr. Karen Felsted at Summit 2012 illuminated a declining trend in Pet Ownership. The 2012 US Pet Ownership End of Year (EOY) Stats show a 9.4% decline in cat ownership and a 3% decline in dog ownership from 2006 to 2012. 


The 2012/2013 Urban Animal Report published in February will provide additional details and evidence related to the companion animal industry. However, a discussion is already developing around the implications of this trend on those supporting pet owners and providing services in urban municipalities.

For instance, what are the implications for licensing agencies, humane and rescue organizations who already have challenges and a business model that has tied funding to the numbers of pets being serviced? What about service providers who provide pharmaceuticals, insurance and nutrition? If the number of pets being serviced continues to decline, what kind of enterprise re-factoring will be required?

It is interesting to note, the same study sited by Felsted, shows that dog visits to veterinarians have increased. Can the industry assume it has entered a period when smaller numbers of pets are owned by more responsible pet families who spend more and frequently integrate pets into their daily lives? If so, what kind of implications do these trends have on the connection between leisure/recreational activities of the owners and the pets they enjoy? 

The International Summit in 2013 is directed to understanding the value pet families place on pets in their lives, their homes, their communities and by extension their culture. A new picture of the desires and barriers associated with pet ownership is likely to materialize at Summit 2013 discussions. The importance of gathering information which can benchmark industry trends during the Regional Conferences in April has become very important for this discussion.

These questions are fundamental to the future of the companion animal  industry. Organizers for Summit 2013 have increased the number of available seats slightly and have provided specific invitations to delegates outside the industry who can bring insight to this discussion. 

JOIN THE SUMMIT 2013 CONVERSATION

Americans spending more on pets

According to a 2011-2012 survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association (APPA), Americans are spending more on their pets but the number of households with pets remains steady at 62 per cent (72.9 million homes). 

An estimated $52.87 billion was spent on pets in 2012, versus $50.96 billion in 2011. The total number of pets (including everything from dogs to freshwater fish) is 377.61 million. 

Food topped the charts as the number one expenditure at $20.46 billion in 2012 and $19.85 billion in 2011. Supplies and over-the-counter medicine came in second at $12.56 billion in 2012 and $11.77 billion in 2011. Veterinary care, placed third at just over $13 billion in both 2012 and 2011, reiterating claims by Karen Felsted at the 2012 International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies that the costs of vet care are balancing out.

Regarding cat and dog expenses, however, surgical and routine vet visits ranked number one as the highest expenditures at over $400 for annual surgical visits and over $200 for annual routine visits. 

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Seizures may account for 7% of dogs and cats entering Shelters

According to Pethealth statistics Seizures account for Over 7% of Dogs and Cats entering Shelters

Seizures of dogs and cats by law enforcement agencies increased 10% and 11% respectively year over year, accounting for over 7% of all dogs and cats entering shelters in April, 2011, according to the April PetPoint Report. Trends based on data collected since September also indicate seizures are increasing as a percent of all dogs and cats entering shelters, pointing to the expanding role of animal cruelty and law enforcement within the animal welfare and sheltering community.

"The trends identified in our own data are what ultimately led to the development and subsequent enhancements of our PetPoint Case Module," says Steve Zeidman, Managing Director of PetPoint Solutions at Pethealth Inc. "The role of humane investigation is becoming increasingly common, particularly among larger organizations servicing metropolitan areas, and we expect the trend in seizures to continue as public tolerance for animal cruelty and neglect continues to decline and media attention surrounding these events increases."

The April report aggregated data from 964 animal welfare organizations using PetPoint. Findings were based on 129,733 intakes and 117,622 outcomes for cats and dogs that entered or left animal welfare organizations during the month. PetPoint is the most widely used animal management application in animal welfare.

For the April report, data was aggregated only from those organizations that were using PetPoint in April 2010 and April 2011. By comparing data from April 2011 to April 2010, the following can be summarized:

Seizures of dogs and cats by law enforcement agencies increased 10% and 11% respectively;

Adoptions of dogs and cats increased 1% and 3% respectively;

Intakes of dogs and cats declined 1% and 7% respectively;

Intakes of stray dogs and cats declined 4% and 12% respectively;

Euthanasia of dogs and cats declined 6% and 12% respectively;

Adoption fees for cats more than and less than 1 year of age declined 14% and 5% respectively while adoption fees for dogs more than and less than 1 year of age increased 2% and 5% respectively.

Pethealth claims to be the leading provider of companion animal services in North Americaand the leading provider of management software to North American animal welfare organizations.

Canadians send 56.4 Text Messages in 2010

Total person-to-person text messages sent by Canadians in 2010 numbered 56.4 billion, a 60% increase over the 2009 total of 35.3 billion messages.

According to txt.ca, in December 2010 alone, 5.8 billion text messages were sent, representing an average of more than 186 million messages per day. Canadians also sent and received a total of 2.3 billion Common Short Code text messages, a 36% increase over the 2009 total of 1.7 billion messages.

DELOITTE PREDICTS CANADIANS TO BUY MORE SMARTPHONES AND TABLETS THAN PCs in 2011

Deloitte has unveiled its 2011 global Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT) Predictions reports, including the top TMT trends Canadians can expect to see in the coming year and beyond. The 2011 Canadian TMT Predictions are based on research, in-depth interviews and input from Deloitte clients and alumni, industry analysts, leading global TMT executives, and more than 7,000 Deloitte TMT member firm practitioners. Among Deloitte Canada’s top 10 most significant TMT trends that will impact Canada in 2011 is that combined sales of smartphones, tablets and non-PC netbooks will account for more than half of all computer devices sold. Full details of both the top 10 Canadian and global TMT Predictions are available at: http://www.deloitte.com/view/en_CA/ca/
industries/tmt/tmtpredictions/index.htm.

Registered Entities on PetLynx System Surpass 500,000

PetLynx Corporation is pleased to report August production numbers and several new benchmarks for the PetLynx Automated National Recovery System in Canada.
• Registered entities rose to 515,069, made up of 251,634 pets and 263,435 associates
• The system handled 4,723 automated recovery episodes, bringing the system total to 171,942
• Page views were 1,276,941, setting a new benchmark
• Web hits were 3,986,293, setting a new benchmark
• The system automatically supported 11,891 sites and 31,764 log-ins

During August, the PetLynx production system began to see increased activity associated with the Canadian Kennel Club as a PetLynx Recovery Subscription was added to registered dogs. Approximately 59,000 of the 69,749 new animal registrations in August were from this program. 

During the first eight months of 2010, the PetLynx production system registered 202,159 entities which is 39.2% of the entities registered on the system in total.


Management expects the subscription and registry aspects of the business to accelerate as the HomeSafe program hits the market later this year.

PetLynx Achieves Record High Registrations and Recoveries

An analysis of PetLynx Corporation's statistics showed extraordinary growth in the number of registrations in the first six months of 2010. During this time, a total of 57,620 entities registered with the PetLynx Automated National Recovery System. This achievement includes 29,561 companion animals and 28,059 associates (pet families and service providers) -- an increase of 129% and 91% respectively, over the same period last year.