Today's Veterinary Practice

JUL-AUG 2011

Today's Veterinary Practice provides comprehensive information to keep every small animal practitioner up to date on companion animal medicine and surgery as well as practice building and management.

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| WELFARE & ETHICS IN VETERINARY SHELTER MEDICINE tive hormone levels, heart rate, body temperature, and immunological markers.4,13 It can sometimes be miti- gated by providing captive animals with some measure of real or perceived control over their environment. Unfortunately, most animals entering the shelter envi- ronment experience stress due to the unfamiliarity of surroundings, situation, and social factors of a novel environment. Suffering Suffering has been defined as prolonged or intense negative emotional states, such as pain, fear, anxiety, or frustration, occurring independently or concur- rently.14,15 DEVELOPING WELFARE Progress & Innovations Animal shelters have made great progress since the 1800s, when their function was primarily to dispose of unwanted animals.17,18 Modern animal shelter veterinar- ians and staff work to ensure the animals’ physical and psychological health, incorporate welfare innovations, and provide humane care. Goals and services of shelter veterinary health and welfare practices have expanded to include:17,18 U Humane care, handling, and/or housing of unwanted, homeless animals An animal can be in “good health” and still be suffering. Thus, suffering is often differently experienced and expressed across species and indi- viduals.16 A primary goal of welfare is to decrease/alleviate suffering. Marian Dawkins has posited that 2 core ques- tions should be posed relevant to alleviating suffering and increasing welfare: First, can animals’ health be improved? Second, are the animals being provided something they need and/or want?2,13 Need and/or want can be approached by providing animals the ability to perform species-specific behaviors as well as affording animals some measure of choice and control in their environment. Welfare assessment can be challenging because it is interpretive and relies, in part, on human valuation.16 Thus, it becomes clear that questions about welfare are fundamental, yet difficult to address and resolve. AN ETHICAL ISSUE: POUND SEIZURE In addition to concerns regarding health and welfare, shelters have had their share of ethical controversies. One example is pound seizure—the procure- ment of animals from pounds/shelters for use in research. Shelters remain a subideal welfare situation for many animals despite welfare and care improvements. Shelters face challenges of overcrowding, and long-term confinement of unadoptable animals, or euthanasia. It has been argued that these unwanted/unclaimed animals should be used to assist “the good of humanity” through research.21 However, a portion of the American public does not approve of the resale of shelter animals for research.21 Increasing public awareness and disapproval of these practices helped lead to the referral of the Pet Safety and Protection Act of 2009 to the House Committee on Agriculture to more strictly regulate procurement practices to help assuage public discontent.21 While society may help determine what is ethically acceptable, organizational efforts, such as those of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Association of Shelter Veterinarians, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Animal Welfare Institute, Universities Federation for Animal Welfare, and Humane Society of the United States, are important in the development of research and education to inform the public and policy makers to promote responsible practices and management guidelines. 52 Today’s Veterinary Practice July/August 2011 U Adoption services U Animal behavior/training U Individual and population animal health/disease management U Overpopulation management U Emergency disaster response U Public health protection (eg, zoonoses) U Veterinary forensics U Active community outreach and partnerships. Challenges Shelter veterinary medicine yields some challenges distinct from clinical veterinary practice. For example, shelter veterinarians are in the unique position of

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