Toolika Rastogi, PhDPolicy and Research Manager

AASAO Conference - October 18, 2018

A five year reviewof overpopulation

Cats inCanada

Cats Count in Canada!

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• National CFHS Cat TaskForce and 2012 report

• Provincial stakeholdermeetings

Cats Count in Canada!

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• Promoting accessible spay/neuter, as a root solution to overpopulation

• Elevating the status of cats, celebrating the human-feline bond,and raising awareness of welfare issues

• Capacity for Care (C4C) pilot program with UC Davis and 6 shelters

Thank you to the sponsors!

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2017 Five-year review

2017 CFHS Cat Task Force• Dr. Disa Boyd

Edmonton Humane Society

• Holly CroneOakville & Milton Humane Society

• Marion Emo Hamilton-Burlington SPCA

• Sandra Flemming & Heather Woodin - Nova Scotia SPCA

• Lisa Koch & Lindsay WestRegina Humane Society

• Dr. Toolika Rastogi - CFHS

• Karen McGeeanFredericton SPCA

• Amy Morris & Marieke van der Velden - BC SPCA

• Denys PelletierL’Association québécoise des SPA et SPCA

• Val PoultonWinnipeg Humane Society

• Marla SomersallPrince Edward Island Humane Society

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Key themes

• Do cats receive the same care and consideration in Canadian society as dogs, given their own particular needs?

• Despite improvements in the last five years, cat overpopulation persists.

General population survey of Canadians

• Conducted by Ipsos using their online omnibus poll

• Surveyed 1,222 Canadians, 18 years of age or older in ten provinces

• Representative of the Canadian population based on age, gender and region

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Pet ownership in Canada

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Average number per household

Percent householdswith at least 1

62% of Canadians own at least one pet

1 2 or more

1.6

1.4

7.3

3.3

2.0

36.9%

35.2%

8.3%

3.5%

4.1%

Cats are the most popular companion animal in Canada

• Those under 55 more likely to be cat owners• Those with children more likely to be cat owners• 9.3 million owned cats in households in 2017• Very similar level of cats in households compared

to 2012• Slight increase for dogs

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Giveaway/Free19%

Friend/relative17%

Stray16%

HS/SPCA/shelter

15%

Rescue12%

Pet store7%

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Sources of owned cats

Breeder 5%

Ad 4%Pet’s offspring 3%

Vet clinic 1%Other 2%

Percent of owned cats spayed/neutered

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• Average 94% in 2017 compared to 80% in 2012

• Social pressure?• Correlation between

income level and likelihood of yesresponse94%

6%

Any cats s/n None s/n

How do owned cats spend their time?

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• 72% of owned cats spend their time either indoors (56%) or always supervised while outdoors (16%)

• Social pressure?56%

16%

28%

National stakeholder survey

• Targeted the same stakeholder groups:ØHumane Societies and SPCAsØMunicipalitiesØRescuesØTNR groupsØSpay/neuter groupsØVeterinarians

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National stakeholder survey

• Same questions posed as in the 2012 survey• Increase in municipal respondents compared

to 2012• Decrease in vet respondents compared to

2012• Breakdown of ON stakeholders similar to

Canada

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In your opinion, is there a cat overpopulation problem

in your municipality?

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Ø Canada: 64%

Ø Ontario: 73%

Perceptions of overpopulation by stakeholder group

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Municipalities

SPCAs

Veterinarians

Humane Societies

Rescues

TNR groups

Total 64%2017 2012

95%

89%

88%

74%

71%

38%

78%

93%

100%

100%

75%

87%

49%

Recommendation

• Municipalities communicate with other stakeholders to improve understanding of perspectives across stakeholder groups, as well as collaborate and strategically align efforts

• For example, support educational messages with laws, enforcement and compliance promotion, such as adopting bylaws and supportive programs with mechanisms to incentivize sterilization

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Practices for addressing overpopulation

OtherHigh-volume cat s/n

EuthanasiaCat license program

Subsidized cat s/nTNR program

Cat animal controlHumane education

Cat adoption 78%

2017 2012

54%49%49%

46%33%27%

75%42%47%34%

38%27%48%

18% 11%

5% 16%

Intake to animal care organizations

Species Total received in 2016

Percent juvenile

Cats (N=158) 114,131 43%

Dogs (N=129) 47,223 16%

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Intake to animal care organizations

Species Total received in 2016

Percent juvenile

Cats (N=158) 114,131 43%ON Cats (N=32) 29,726 41%Dogs (N=129) 47,223 16%

ON Dogs (N=25) 10,697 11%

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Intake to animal care organizations

• For both cats and dogs:- One half are stray- One quarter are owner-surrendered- One tenth are transferred in

• Top reason for owner-surrender continues to be housing issues

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Sterilization status at intake

Type of intake

Already Spayed/NeuteredCATS DOGS

2016 2011 2016 2011

Stray 8% 4% 11% 6%Ownersurrender

25% 10% 29% 13%

Total 13% 6% 17% 8%

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Sterilization status at intakeOntario Stakeholders

Type of intake

Already Spayed/Neutered - 2016CATS DOGS

Canada Ontario Canada Ontario

Stray 8% 3% 11% 2%Ownersurrender

25% 8% 29% 11%

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Sterilization of animals prior to adoption

Stakeholder Group

Percent yes in 2017

Percent yes in 2012

Humane societies 100% 97%SPCAs 100% 93%TNR groups 95% 100%Municipalities 19% 27%Rescues 100% 97%Aggregateaverage

64% 79%

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Sterilization while in care

Species 2016 2011S/N ofthose received

Of which juvenile

S/N of those received

Of which juvenile

Cats 51% 48% 26% 28%Dogs 29% 19% 29% 14%

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Sterilization while in care

Species Spayed/Neutered of those received

2016 2011Canada Ontario Canada Ontario

Cats 51% 68% 26% 28%Dogs 29% 43% 29% 22%

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Summary of spay/neuter results

• Higher fraction of general public report their cats are sterilized (94% in 2017 compared to 80% in 2012)

• Higher proportion of cats admitted to shelter have already been sterilized

• More adopted animals are taken home already sterilized

• Fewer municipalities sterilize adoptable animals prior to adoption compared to 95-100% for other types of organizations

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Summary of spay/neuterresults (contd.)

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• Higher proportion of juveniles being sterilized• Shortage of funds is no longer reason for not

sterilizing• More accessible sterilization options available

Good news! But…

• More need for accessible spay/neuter in communities

• Almost half cats taken in are juveniles• Few animals admitted to shelters are already

spayed/neutered

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Recommendations• Education about importance of responsible pet

ownership, spay/neuter, cruelty of abandonment• Widespread early sterilization prior to sexual

maturity among owned cats to prevent unwanted litters that may be relinquished or abandoned

• Accessible spay/neuter • Governments provide financial resources to

accessible spay/neuter initiatives, rather than relying on charitable organizations, their donors and veterinary partners to fund this important work

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Recommendations• Organizations adopting out animals make every

effort to spay/neuter 100% of animals prior to adoption. Spay/neuter programs for adoptable animals follow the recommendations in the ASV Guidelines, including that surgery be considered as early as six weeks (Griffin et al., 2016)

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Earliest age of sterilization prior to adoption (in months)

Stakeholder Group

Cats Dogs

Humane societies 3.1 3.4SPCAs 2.4 2.4TNR groups 4.0 not applicableMunicipalities 3.3 3.2Rescues 3.6 4.1Aggregate avg. 3.1 3.0

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Earliest age of sterilization prior to adoption (in months)

Stakeholder Group

Cats Dogs

Humane societies 3.1 3.4SPCAs 2.4 2.4TNR groups 4.0 not applicableMunicipalities 3.3 3.2Rescues 3.6 4.1Aggregate avg. 3.1 3.0Avg. Ontario 3.0 3.3

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Capacity

• What percentage of your organization’s total capacity to hold cats /dogs is in use?

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Capacity

Stakeholder Group

Percent capacity used in 2016

Percent capacity used in 2011

Overall 73% 89%Humane Societies 83% 90%SPCAs 66% 95%Municipalities 47% 72%Rescues 95% 91%TNR Groups 86% 93%

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ON: 77% ON: 89%

Recommendation

• All cat sheltering facilities incorporate Capacity for Care shelter management practices to reduce the likelihood of illness in shelter, leading to euthanasia

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Animals who already had ID on intake

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Species Receivedwithout ID

in 2016

Receivedwithout ID

in 2011Cats 29% 63%Dogs 21% 46%

Reclaim by owners

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Species Stray animals reclaimed

2016 2011

Canada CanadaCats 10% 8%Dogs 68% 57%

Reclaim by owners

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Species Stray animals reclaimed

2016 2011

Canada Ontario Canada OntarioCats 10% 8% 8% 8%Dogs 68% 67% 57% 40%

Adoption

Species Adopted in 2016 Adopted in 2011

Canada Canada

Cats 60% 43%Dogs 45% 38%

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Adoption

Species Adopted in 2016 Adopted in 2011

Canada Ontario Canada Ontario

Cats 60% 58% 43% 36%Dogs 45% 41% 38% 42%

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Euthanasia

Species Euthanized in 2016 Euthanized in 2011

Canada Canada

Cats 18% 40%Dogs 8% 14%

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Euthanasia

Species Euthanized in 2016 Euthanized in 2011

Canada Ontario Canada Ontario

Cats 18% 19% 40% 51%Dogs 8% 10% 14% 15%

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• Cats – most common reason: illness/change of health (compared to behaviour in 2011)

• Dogs – most common reason: behaviour (still)

Summary – Cats vs. Dogs

• There are still twice as many cats taken in as dogs

• The proportion of these cats who are juvenile is twice what it is for dogs

• The rate of reclaim for stray cats is about one seventh of that for stray dogs

• 18% cats taken in are euthanized, compared to 8% of dogs

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Next Steps• Cat overpopulation persists• Cats deserve same care and consideration as

dogs• Engagement of a broader segment of

stakeholders to work together to develop an integrated response to cats

• Common and coordinated messages from stakeholders across community

• Working to engage municipalities, vets

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Thank you!

toolika@humanecanada.ca

www.humanecanada.ca