Dog Catching for Dummies

Brian Faulkner

Making sense of OIE Guidelines

7 year old child’s perceptionof a dog catcher

Common Reality

Inhumane handlingmostly occurs at:-

Point of capture.

Movement of dogs onto or from vehicles.

Movement of dogs within holding facility.

In fact at any point !!

Main causes are:-

Poor or lack of Training for staff.

Inadequate equipment.

Badly designed vehicles.

No management accountability.

No standard operating Procedures (SOP’s)

OIE Guidelines

• Adopted by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) in 2009.

• Requests all 178 member states to use only humane methods.

OIE Guidelines:-

• The Competent Authority should collect dogs that are not under direct supervision and verify their ownership.

• Capture, transport, and holding of the dogs should be done humanely.

• The Competent Authority should develop and implement appropriate legislation and training to regulate these activities.

• Capture should be achieved with the minimum force required and equipment should be used that support humane handling.

• Uncovered wire loops should not be used for capture.

Training is vital

• Poorly trained personnel can aggravate an aggressive response in dogs.

• People and dogs are injured.

OK But – What does“Competent Authority”

Mean?

Competent Authority

Means the veterinary authority or other governmental authority of a member having the responsibility and competence for ensuring or supervising the implementation of animal health and welfare measures, international veterinary certification and other standards and recommendations in the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code.

Verifying Ownership• Check for micro-chip; ear

tattoo or collar with tag.• If an owner is identified a

notice should be served advising said owner how to reclaim his dog.

• Dogs may be returned immediately at the discretion of the municipality.

OIE guidelines state:- “The Competent Authority should collect dogs that are not under direct supervision and verify their ownership”.

Capture of Dogs

OIE guidelines state:- “Capture should be achieved with the minimum force required and equipment should be used that support humane handling.

Uncovered wire loops should not be used for capture.”

Uncovered wire loops unacceptable

OK But – What does“Minimum Force”

Mean?

Minimum force isdifficult to define and is dependent upon local environment and type of dog you are having to catch.

Friendly or sociable dogs

Luring Pick-up & Carry

Slip leashes

Newton’s 3rd Law

‘For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction’

Higher level of forcemay be required for free roaming dogs

Snares

• Useful for catching ‘free roaming’ dogs.

• Not suitable for long term restraint.

• Un-socialised dogs may react violently.

Nets!

Pictures courtesy of:-

My personal favourite!

Balinese net

Even more difficult dogs

Graspers/Catchpoles

• Can be used for long term restraint.

• Difficult to catch free roaming dogs in an open location.

• Used correctly, could be classed as minimum force.

How NOT to do it!

dragdownstreet MPSA.mpg

The CORRECT way!

skopje_1stset_November2009 063.avi

Health Warning!!

Catchpoles can seriously damagea dog’s health and are potentiallylethal unless used correctly.

Y Poles

Ideal for general restraint in kennel situation and limited use in the field.

Chemical CaptureThe last option to consider

Anaesthesia of an animal in field conditions

• Can only guess dogs bodyweight.• Dogs do not drop immediately.• Operatives fail to learn basics of humane dog handling.• Severe trauma to dog can occur if gun Incorrectly calibrated.• Blowpipes are better option.• Never to be used for cats.

Dominica

• Establish a feeding regime.

• Dog learns that you are not a threat.

Dominica

• Gradually expose dogs to items of equipment.

• Dog learns to ignore them.

Dominica

• Continue to expose dogs to various types of equipment you may use e.g. leashes, snares, graspers, nets etc.

Dominica

• Increase the exposure, e.g. feeding dogs on or near equipment you may use.

Dominica

• Dog by now is virtually caught!!

Dominica

Thanks to Sherry Grant & Yudisthera Street Dog Foundation, Bali Indonesia

WHO LET THE DOGS OUT CATCHING.wmv

THANK YOU