Responsible Animal Ownership

1. Responsible Animal Ownership How people interact with animals

2. Topic One -Animal Ethics Ethics/ morality • People’s judgments or moral code, based on their beliefs and principles. Our ethical code of conduct is affected by the way we are brought up, our religious beliefs, and our experiences in life • Codes of practice are approved lists of behaviour

3. How Humans interact with animals • How is public opinion about animal use formed? • Society’s concerns for animals today • Worksheet page 8 -attitudes toward animals

4. RSPCA 5 freedoms

5. Roles of people in the animal care industry

6. Pets in our society List the roles of pets in society

7. The demographics of pet Ownership

8. Features of dogs as pets

10. Care and Play

12. Human Cat Interaction

14. Problems of Pet Ownership

15. Dog Nuisance

16. Dog Bites Injury commonly occurred when the bitten child was playing with the dog (17% of bites to children), patting the dog (10%) or feeding the dog or attempting to play with the dog whilst it was eating (5%), Three percent of children were bitten after teasing or hurting the dog including pulling its tail or hitting it, eg. ‘pulling dog by tail and the dog bit him’ and 11 children were bitten when hugging or cuddling the dog. Pedestrians (5%) and bicyclists (3%) were bitten whilst walking or riding on the street, and a further 5% of children were bitten when they climbed the fence into a neighbours yard to retrieve a ball or simply when they were climbing on a fence.

17. Areas of Attack

19. Promoting Desexing

20. Pets other than dogs

21. Animal Hoarding… a dismal, hidden network Inspector Chris Coddington

22. Animal Hoarders - also known as Collectors, Animal lovers, the crazy cat/dog person. Definition of an Animal Hoarder - One who has accumulated many animals, overwhelming that person’s ability to provide even the most basic standard of nutrition, hygiene & veterinary care; - Failure to acknowledge the deteriorating condition of the animals, including disease, starvation & even death, & the household environment, such as, severe overcrowding and unsanitary conditions. - Failure to recognize the negative effect hoarding has on their own health & well-being, let alone that of other household members & neighbours.

23. Fact • Cats and dogs are the most commonly hoarded species but any accessible animal can become part of a collection. • Numbers of animals hoarded can range from a dozen to hundreds. • Animal hoarding is a problem that most likely exists in every community, in both rural and urban sectors.

24. Fact • Animal Hoarders are very secretive & reclusive, going to great lengths to conceal their premises from the outside world. • Many hoarders can lead a double life to the extent of having a successful professional career. Some discovered hoarders were professional nurses, there has been a mid wife, a psychologist, a panel beater & a microbiologist, but there are also many pensioners.

25. Fact • Animal Hoarders are usually in complete denial that the animals in their care are suffering, coming up with the most bizarre & irrational explanations for blatantly obvious health & hygiene issues. • Often Hoarders self medicate animals with cocktails of human & animal medication. This gives them comfort, feeling they are “treating” the animals, doing their best.

26. Fact • They feel the animals are better off with them, no matter what condition the animals are in, rather than risk the possibility of them being euthanased. • They stubbornly refuse to part with any of their animals. • They are repeat offenders with almost 100% recidivism.

27. Animal Hoarders generally live in severe squalor • The floors inside are often rotting from urine & faecal saturation. • The stench is overpowering & sickening. • The rooms are dark & dingy from windows being covered up to prevent the prying eye. • Faecal matter cakes every surface including the walls & furniture. • Cobwebs engulf the ceilings & windows. • Power, water & plumbing are often limited or non-existent inside the premises, and often there is no refridgerator.

28. Detection • Their situation gets out of control & begins to encroach on the outside world. • Odour invades neighbouring properties & public thoroughfares. • Unsightly rubbish piles up around the house. • Sick, emaciated &/or dead animals may be seen. • Unbearable noise from animals fighting or vocalising. • The local vet often becomes suspicious.

29. Avalon Profile: • A middle aged professional male & female couple. • Female – midwife in a hospital. • House owned. • 33 dogs inside the premises, 6 cats outside. • Prosecuted & convicted twice resulting in fines, legal costs to be met & prohibited from owning more than 6 dogs (2004). • Currently in appeal process. • Collects papers, rubbish.

32. Blacktown Profile: • Middle-aged, single male -panel beater. • House owned. • 9 dogs, generally confined. • Stated he was studying genetic lines for human cancer research. • Prosecuted 2004 – long drawn out case. Convicted & placed on a bond – ordered to pay some legal & most boarding/vet costs. • Collects porn magazines, boxes of items and books.

39. Merrylands Profile: • Elderly male pensioner – ex bus driver. • Owns home. • 40 – 60 plus cats inside & outside. • Prosecuted in 2000 – not recognized as a hoarder at time - convicted & placed on a 3 year bond. • Re-offended 2004 – worked with him in reducing the number of cats. Left with 5 desexed cats – he paid all costs. • Monitored.

48. Eastern Creek Profile: • Middle-aged male, single pensioner. • Owns home. • 20 - 30 cats, reasonably healthy on last visit. • No prosecution – working on reducing numbers. • Monitoring. • Collects papers, boxes and rubbish.