ABC
Animal birth control (ABC) projects
Town councils and similar local authorities often consider all cats and dogs that are not obviously owned to be strays. Strays are considered to be a health risk especially when rabies is endemic, a hygiene risk because of faeces, and a danger because they can bite and scratch. In the past it was often thought that the best way to deal with strays was by mass killing, even if this involved terrible means.
Recent studies have shown a number of errors in the above views. Even if cats and dogs are not obviously owned, they may have a place in the affections of the local community, and they may be fed and cared for by local people. Local cat and dog populations are often quite settled and static and their numbers are at the level they are because of human support (which implies a responsibility to control them humanely). Mass killing alone does little to control numbers in the long term because other animals soon move into an area that has been cleared. And, by destabilizing populations and encouraging the movement of animals, control by slaughter has been found to increase the chances of dog bites and the spread of rabies. Surprisingly, bites from pet dogs have been found to be generally more serious than those from strays. Also mass killing has become less acceptable for humanitarian reasons.
As a result of these findings, guidelines for the control of urban cat and dog populations have been drawn up by WHO (World Health Organization), involved primarily because of rabies control. By advocating control by surgical neutering, these guidelines throw ABC programmes into the veterinary arena.
There is still much scope for improvement to these programmes based on behavioural studies of the animals themselves and social studies among the communities in which the animals are living. Many programmes are already appreciating the value of community involvement, in much the same way that CAHW programmes have learnt the value of community involvement, and are considering the role of community education in taking their work forward.
Town councils often have the statutory duty to deal with ‘stray’ animals but local animal welfare charities may also become involved, usually attempting to raise welfare standards by doing so. These animal welfare charities can be numerous and are good models of local self-organization offering opportunities for direct collaboration with western charities and funding agencies. Some western welfare charities such as WSPA (World Society for the Protection of Animals) already operate at least partly through collaborations of this sort.
