SPCA of Central Florida Position Statements

ANIMALS AS GIFTS OR PRIZES

The SPCA of Central Florida is supportive of the adoption or acquisition of an animal when the primary consideration is the acquisition of a permanent family pet.

Therefore, the Society opposes the adoption of live animals as gifts, or prizes and incentives for commercial promotions. In these situations, there is no knowledge or control of the person who receives the animal, the conditions in which it will live or the use to which it will be put. In addition, there is no opportunity to educate the new owner about caring for the animal or about local animal ordinances. Such situations depreciate the value of an animal's life.

In addition, the Society is opposed to the sale of "seasonal or holiday" animals such as baby rabbits and chicks that are sold in conjunction with Easter. Many of these animals suffer and die due to starvation, improper food, cold, abuse, over-handling or neglect.

Pet ownership should result from a thoughtful, conscious decision to bring a companion animal into the family with a willingness to make a lifetime commitment to the animal.

Approved by the Board of Directors: June 22, 1999

BANNING OF SPECIFIC BREEDS OF DOGS

The SPCA of Central Florida recognizes dog attacks as a significant community concern. Many communities believe the solution to preventing severe dog attacks is to label, restrict or ban certain breeds of dogs as potentially dangerous.

The Society believes it is unreasonable to characterize an entire breed population by the behavior of those animals implicated in attacks on people. In addition, the characterization and ban do little to prevent severe dog attacks since the real causes and events that contribute to an attack are masked by the issue of breed and not seriously addressed.

Pit Bulls have received a firestorm of bad publicity, and throughout the country bear the brunt of specific legislation. However, the same assumptions and/or accusations have been leveled against Rottweilers, Chows, German Shepherds, Huskies, Dobermans and Great Danes.

While many circumstances contribute to a dog attack, specific factors play a critical role in canine aggression toward people. To minimize this potential, the Society believes dogs:

• SHOULD be socialized as family pets, living within one's home.
• SHOULD participate with their owners in behavioral training based on positive reinforcement techniques.
• SHOULD be spayed or neutered as puppies (2 months of age or older).
  
  
• SHOULD NOT be acquired for fighting.
• SHOULD NOT be used to project a "tough" image.
• SHOULD NOT be mistreated, neglected or abused.
• SHOULD NOT be consistently chained.
• SHOULD NOT be allowed to roam loose.
  
  
• Finally, with the exception of law enforcement personnel in the performance of their official duties, dogs SHOULD NOT be permitted, encouraged, or trained to behave aggressively toward other animals or people.

The Society believes all parents/guardians have the responsibility to teach their children how to safely interact with animals and to monitor their children while in the presence of animals, whether familiar to the child or not.

The Society believes the foundation of the problem exists not within the breed of dog, but rather within the past and/or current owner's failure to control, supervise, maintain, properly train and care for the breed of dog they choose. Addressing the issue of severe dog attacks as a breed specific problem is comparable to treating symptoms and not the disease.

Approved by the Board of Directors: February 22, 2005

Florida Statute Section 767.14. Nothing in this act shall limit any local government from placing further restrictions or additional requirements on owners of dangerous dogs or developing procedures and criteria for the implementation of this act, provided that no such regulation is specific to breed and that the provisions of this act are not lessened by such additional regulations or requirements. This section shall not apply to any local ordinance adopted prior to October 1, 1990.

BREEDING/SELLING OF DOGS AND CATS

The SPCA of Central Florida identifies pet overpopulation as a significant community problem and, for this reason, opposes the apathetic, careless and or irresponsible breeding or selling of dogs and cats. Each year, thousands of unwanted animals, purebreds and mixed breeds, are put to death or die - starved or diseased - having been discarded and left to their own resources.

Despite the best efforts of responsible animal welfare organizations, there is still a consumer demand for purebred animals. Promoting and responding to this demand are dog and cat breeders who are in the business of breeding animals for profit. Given that this situation exists, the Society believes that breeders must be of the highest ethical standards and must provide appropriate housing, nutrition, medical care, nurturing, socialization, and exercise for the animals in their care. Appropriate care includes routinely testing breeding animals for genetic defects and disease, breeding animals no more than once a year and transporting animals only after they reach 8 weeks of age.

The Society believes those who breed an animal have a responsibility to see to it that the offspring receive lifetime, loving care. In addition, breeders have the responsibility to discuss responsible pet ownership, including the need to spay or neuter, as well as local animal ordinances with the new owner. Breeders should investigate the potential adoptive home to ensure that the environment is adequate for the animal.

The Society believes stores that sell animals have a similar responsibility and must provide appropriate housing, nutrition, medical care, nurturing, socialization, and exercise for the animals in their care. In addition, stores that sell animals have the responsibility to discuss responsible pet ownership, including the need to spay or neuter, as well as local animal ordinances with the new owner.

The Society finds the sale of companion animals from puppy mills and/or other irresponsible breeders unacceptable under any conditions.

Revised and approved by the Board of Directors: December 14, 2004

CIRCUSES

The SPCA of Central Florida believes that all animals, including those within the circus world, have the right to proper care during their lives.

Performing or exhibition animals should be provided with sufficient quantities of good and wholesome food and fresh water. They should be protected from diseases and sheltered from the elements. At a minimum, they should have sufficient room and freedom of movement to be able to stand, lie down, stretch and turn around without difficulty, and to be able to groom themselves. They should be trained, handled and transported in humane conditions.

The Society believes an unsanitary and/or overcrowded environment and lack of appropriate sustenance and health care are equal to cruelty. No maimed, sick, infirm, or diseased animal should be abandoned to die.

Inhumane or inappropriate conditions provide a negative experience for the public, seeming to condone indifference or cruelty. As part of an American institution, circus owners, trainers and handlers should recognize their duty to set a positive example for the public.

Approved by the Board of Directors: January 22, 2002

DECLAWING OF CATS

The SPCA of Central Florida recognizes that "sharpening" claws is a natural behavior of cats. Animal behaviorists believe that the main function of "sharpening" claws for the cat is communication. It is natural, instinctual behavior. "Sharpening" claws involves not only leaving a visual mark but it is an attention getting, stress relief and happiness display.

Cats may be defenseless without full use of their claws if they, either intentionally or unintentionally, go outdoors. Scratching damage to household furnishings can be minimized or avoided by routine clipping of the claws, the use of claw covers and by redirecting the cat's activity to acceptable surfaces.

The SPCA of Central Florida believes the declawing of cats (onychectomy ) and the severing of digital tendons (tendonectomy) to be elective surgical procedures that are without benefit to the cat. Because of the discomfort associated with any surgery and potential future behavioral or physical effects, the Society generally disapproves of routine declawing or tendonectomy surgery in lieu of alternative solutions to prevent household damage.

Declawing of domestic cats should be considered only after attempts have been made to prevent the cat from using its claws destructively or when clawing presents a significant health risk for people within the household.

As with any elective surgery, the client should be advised of all advantages, disadvantages, and available options. Veterinarians have an obligation to provide cat owners with complete education with regard to declawing prior to performing the procedure. The following points are the foundation for full understanding and disclosure regarding declawing:

• "Sharpening" claws is a normal feline behavior, is a means for cats to mark their territory both visually and with scent, and is used for claw conditioning ("husk" removal) and stretching activity.
• Prior to considering declawing, owners should attempt to manage undesirable scratching by providing suitable implements for normal scratching behavior. Examples are scratching posts, cardboard boxes, lumber or logs, and carpet or fabric remnants affixed to stationary objects. Implements should be tall or long enough to allow full stretching, and be firmly anchored to provide necessary resistance to scratching. In addition, appropriate claw care, consisting of trimming the claws every one to two weeks, should be provided.
• Declawing is not a medically necessary procedure in most cases. While rare in occurrence, there are inherent risks and complications with any surgical procedure including, but not limited to, anesthetic complications, side effects associated with analgesics, hemorrhage, & infection.
• While we strongly discourage declawing, if the owner deems this surgery necessary, declawing of the forefeet is sufficient; cats do not claw furniture with their hind feet.
• Declawed cats should be housed indoors at all times.

If declawing is performed, safe and effective anesthetic agents should always be used. Furthermore, the use of safe and effective peri-operative analgesics for an appropriate length of time is imperative.

When declawing is requested by clients of SPCA's veterinarian clinics, referral is made to other clinics, as this procedure is not performed by the agency's staff veterinarians.

Approved by the Board of Directors: October 28, 2008

ETHANASIA BY INJECTION (EBI)

Because of the large number of stray and unwanted pets in the United States, animal shelters often are forced to put to death many animals.

The SPCA of Central Florida fervently strives to create a world where this is not necessary. However, until all individuals learn to make the responsible decisions about their pets, animal shelters must deal with these consequences.

The SPCA of Central Florida considers the decision to euthanize a pet to be very serious, reached only when other options are not available or appropriate.

The millions of stray and unwanted animals that must be euthanized each year deserve a peaceful death, and shelter workers deserve access to a means to end animals' lives compassionately and with dignity.

Euthanasia by Injection (EBI) is a medical procedure that utilizes an anesthetic drug called sodium pentobarbital. Sodium pentobarbital is a federal controlled substance,

The SPCA of Central Florida believes that EBI is the most humane and painless method of euthanasia and is the only acceptable form of euthanizing dogs and cats in an animal shelter.

The SPCA of Central Florida considers the use of any other method for euthanizing dogs and cats in animal shelters unacceptable, including the use of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, nitrous oxide, argon, or anesthetic gases, as well as physical methods such as electrocution, drowning, gunshot and blunt-force trauma.

Recognizing the need for compassion in this procedure, we also know and recognize how emotionally challenging it is for shelter workers to perform this task. Therefore all shelter workers who perform EBI must be properly selected, trained and certified by instructors approved by the Florida Animal Control Association, mentored, monitored and supported so they can consistently perform this task in the safest and most humane manner for the animals in their care.

Approved by the Board of Directors: October 28, 2008

FACTORY FARMING

The SPCA of Central Florida believes all animals, including food and agriculture animals, have the right to proper care during their lives.

In any animal husbandry system, animals should be provided with sufficient quantities of good and wholesome food and fresh water. They should be protected from diseases and sheltered from the elements. At a minimum, they should have sufficient room and freedom of movement to be able to stand, lie down, stretch and turn around without difficulty, and to be able to groom themselves. They should be bred in a responsible manner and shipped and handled under humane conditions.

The Society believes an unsanitary and/or overcrowded environment and lack of appropriate sustenance and health care are equal to cruelty. No maimed, sick, infirm, or diseased animal should be abandoned to die.

Finally, the Society believes that castration, dehorning, tail docking, and other comparable procedures should be performed within the acceptable standards of veterinary medicine.

Approved by the Board of Directors: January 22, 2002

FERAL CATS

The SPCA of Central Florida believes all companion animals should be maintained in loving homes with the physical and nurturing care they need. Recognizing there will always be some cats who will eventually live in the wild for whatever reason, the SPCA of Central Florida supports the stabilization and reduction of the feral cat population. Feral cats are defined as those too poorly socialized to be handled and who cannot be placed into a typical pet home. The SPCA of Central Florida distinguishes between feral cats, abandoned or lost cats, and owned free-roaming cats.

The Society supports Trap/Neuter/Return as the most humane strategy for managing feral cats. Trap/Neuter/Return is defined as a full management plan in which stray and feral cats already living outdoors are humanely trapped, evaluated, vaccinated and sterilized by veterinarians. Kittens and tame cats are adopted into good homes. Healthy adult cats too wild to be adopted are returned to their familiar habitat under the lifelong care of committed volunteers. Trap/Neuter/Return programs are based on the assumption that caretakers will provide on-going care, food, shelter, supervision and medical treatment as necessary for these colonies. In addition to other tests, the Society encourages T/N/R colony caretakers to have cats in these colonies tested on an annual basis for feline leukemia and feline aids. Whenever possible, vaccination against feline leukemia is also strongly encouraged.

The Society supports T/N/R colonies located where the cats are not endangered and the feeding and continued support will be less visible to the public in order to limit abandonment of additional cats as this may defeat the goals of T/N/R.

Finally, the Society strongly believes that spay/neuter surgeries for all cats is critical to preventing overpopulation.

Approved by the Board of Directors: October 28, 2003

FREE-ROAMING HOUSE CATS

The SPCA of Central Florida believes all companion animals should be maintained in loving homes with the physical and nurturing care they need.

The Society is strongly in favor of keeping all pet cats indoors. The Society believes cats are safest when sheltered from disease, attacks by other animals or people, traffic, and all other outdoor dangers. In addition, it is the duty of anyone taking responsibility for the health and well-being of an indoor cat to provide a stimulating and interesting living environment.

Finally, the Society strongly believes that spay/neuter surgeries for all cats is critical to preventing overpopulation and that regular veterinary care, including annual exams, tests and vaccinations, is critical to maintaining the health and well-being of all pet cats.

Approved by the Board of Directors: October 28, 2003

The SPCA of Central Florida is unalterably opposed to so-called blood sports such as dog-fighting, cock-fighting, bull-fighting, and similar spectacles.

In addition, the Society is opposed to "baiting" of animals or so called bloodless sports which tease, torment and stress animals.

The Society maintains that all of these animal contests or activities are inhumane due to harassment, suffering, and torture of the animals forced to participate. Torture of animals for fun and/or sport is degrading and unfit for a civilized society.

Approved by the Board of Directors: June 22, 1999

GREYHOUND RACING

The SPCA of Central Florida believes all companion animals should be maintained in lifelong, loving homes with the physical and nurturing care they need.

The Society believes greyhound racing, as it is currently conducted, is not an appropriate form of human entertainment. Excessive over-breeding, the "weeding out" of those dogs that appear to lack racing potential, the daily conditions in which many dogs are forced to live, and the maiming/killing of bait animals during training exercises are practices which are in opposition to the purpose, mission, and vision of the Society.

The Society believes that greyhounds belong in loving homes, and not on race tracks.

Approved by the Board of Directors: December 14, 2004

PET FRIENDLY HOUSING

The SPCA of Central Florida recognizes that "moving" and "landlord/condo association won't allow" are among the top reasons given nationally by pet owners when relinquishing their cats or dogs to animal shelters.

Thousands of pet owners must routinely choose between eviction, relocation, financial penalties, and/or giving up their family pet(s). This relinquishment increases the potential for abandonment of pets and increased euthanasia as well as the very real increase in financial and emotional burden on animal welfare and animal control agencies.

The Society believes responsible pet owners should not be denied the companionship of beloved pets, and pets deserve a lifetime of responsible caretaking. However, pet owners must not ignore the impact their animals can have on property and their neighbors.

Property owners deserve rental properties free of problems caused by irresponsible pet-owning residents. Rather than prohibiting all pets, landlords and condominium associations should be encouraged to adopt a policy of allowing responsible residents to keep their pets. All residents and their pets should be evaluated on an individual basis. Size and breed do not indicate a pet's temperament.

Property owners and managers should take responsibility for implementing well-defined pet-keeping policies and effective guidelines for identifying responsible pet owners. Samples of these include:

• Pet owners should be required to complete a pet "resume", including
  • a picture,
  • reference(s) from former landlord(s),
  • vet contact information,
  • medical/behavioral problems,
  • training/treatment history, and
  • an emergency contact for the pet(s).
• Resident pets should be sterilized before reaching six months of age;
• Resident pets should be licensed and up-to-date on rabies and other vaccinations;
• Resident pets should be kept under control at all times, obeying leash laws.
  • However, chaining in the yard should be prohibited;
• Resident pets should be micro-chipped and/or wear collars with up-to-date ID at all times;
• Pet owners must properly dispose of pets' waste, both inside and outside.

The Society believes the best way to impact this community problem is to serve as an information and education resource for rental managers, property owners, condo associations and pet owners.

Approved by the Board of Directors: July 25, 2006

PET OVERPOPULATION

Every year, millions of cats and dogs are euthanized in our nation's animal shelters because there are more companion animals than there are responsible homes for them. Preventing the proliferation of these unwanted pets would dramatically decrease their numbers and the resulting deaths.

Even pet owners with a responsible desire to breed their animals and who believe they have the means to place each animal in a loving home cannot guarantee the pet's future. All too often, these pets become "residents" of humane societies and animal control agencies throughout the nation.

To ensure that all adopted animals are unable to reproduce, surgery should be performed prior to all animals leaving for their new homes.

The SPCA of Central Florida believes no dog or cat adopted from a shelter should be allowed to reproduce. Furthermore, given the current prevalence of breeding operations and the already existing overpopulation of dogs and cats, failure to spay/neuter one's own animal is irresponsible.

In addition, the support of spay/neuter operations through low-cost spay/neuter clinics has proven to be an effective way to counter pet overpopulation. The reduction in cost serves to motivate both those who cannot and those who will not pay the "market" price for the operations.

The research on the physical, behavioral and short and long term effects of prepubescent spaying/neutering in dogs and cats shows no adverse results. Therefore, the Society supports the practice of prepubescent spaying/neutering as a feasible solution to decreasing pet overpopulation and the tragedy of resulting deaths.

(Adapted from the American Humane Association)

Approved by the Board of Directors: December 12, 2006

SELLING ANIMALS ONLINE

The ability to offer puppies and other animals for sale via the Internet has multiplied the concerns associated with puppy mills. Because of the ease of offering animals for sale online without any official oversight, many embrace the technology as a way to minimize the costs of operating a clean, healthy, and humane facility for the care of animals.

With virtual transactions, it is difficult to determine how well the animal is being cared for and the health and genetic history of the animal's parents. Although adoption sites often require reference checks as a way to ensure animals are healthy and the living conditions are humane, this is not the case with most for-sale interactions on the Web. Once the animal is sold via the Internet, concerns include the method and safety of transportation to the buyer and the lack of regulation regarding the use of the animal after it is purchased. Moreover, by making more animals available for sale online, animals already awaiting adoption in shelters are put at increased risk of euthanasia.

Without the same safeguards used for online animal adoptions, the Internet allows buyers and sellers to anonymously acquire animals as pieces of property rather than the living, breathing creatures they are. The responsible purchase, or better yet adoption, of a companion animal involves a great deal of personal interaction between the existing owner and the animal's potential new home. Physical adoption sites offer this opportunity to new owners, plus support and additional resources in case the animal has behavioral or socialization issues.

The SPCA of Central Florida opposes the sale of animals via the Internet because of the potential for the animal to suffer at the hands of unregulated breeders or guardians who may not provide minimum standards of care, the risks inherent in interstate commerce involving animals, and the lack of standards for how the animal will be cared for or used once it has been purchased.

The federal Animal Welfare Act instructs the Secretary of the USDA to regulate any entity that purchases or transports live animals in interstate commerce in order "(1) to insure that animals intended for use… as pets are provided humane care and treatment; (2) to assure humane treatment of animals during transportation in commerce; and (3) to protect the owners of animals from the theft of their animals by preventing the sale or use of animals which have been stolen." The Act also states, "It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly sell, buy, transport, or deliver to another person or receive from another person for purposes of transportation, in interstate or foreign commerce, any dog or other animal for purposes of having the dog or other animal participate in an animal fighting venture."

(Adapted from the American Humane Association)

Approved by the Board of Directors: December 12, 2006

WILD ANIMALS AS PETS

The SPCA of Central Florida believes that most wild animals make unsuitable pets under virtually all circumstances, and very few people are equipped to properly maintain any wild animals in the home environment.

Therefore, the Society is against the general traffic in wild animals as pets because of the potential for harm or suffering to the animal, the potential danger to humans, the inevitable disenchantment with such animals, and the problems of appropriate and humane relocation or disposal.

Approved by the Board of Directors: June 22, 1999

ZOOLOGICAL PARKS AND OCEANARIA

The SPCA of Central Florida recognizes that zoological parks and oceanaria have an important role in contemporary America. Under most circumstances, wild animals should be permitted to exist undisturbed in their natural environments. The increasing pressures placed on wild animal populations create circumstances, however, where captive care saves the individual animal from harm and may contribute to saving a species from extinction. Many wild animals have been born in captivity, or maintained in captivity for lengthy periods, are not capable of survival in their natural environment. Well-designed zoos and seaquaria, simulating natural habitats as closely as possible, can serve demonstrably beneficial purposes, particularly by inculcating an appreciation for the variety and majesty of all living creatures, educating people regarding wild animals and their role in ecosystems, preserving and restoring endangered or threatened species, and building public support for the protection of animals living in the wild. When such facilities are operated to provide humane treatment and care, with the highest degree of professionalism, the benefits resulting to all creatures outweigh the inherent negative aspects of confining wildlife.

It is extremely important that zoos and oceanaria consistently exhibit the highest degree of humaneness, care and professionalism, not only for the welfare of the animals in their possession, but also because of the example set for the public. Inhumane or inappropriate conditions viewed by an impressionable public provide a negative learning experience by seeming to condone indifference or cruelty.

Unfortunately, there are zoos which do not approach our ideals at the present time. Some, especially so-called roadside zoos or menageries, do not even attempt to do so. This category of animal exhibitionism is often permanently substandard, with its primary purpose being to attract people to other facilities, such as diners, tourist gift shops or motels. Even non-profit zoos may be so inferior as to be nothing more than their roadside counterparts.

The Society pledges itself to work with those zoological parks and seaquaria which have committed themselves to these high ideals, and to assist in their educational and other beneficial activities. SPCA of Central Florida further pledges itself to encourage those zoos and seaquaria which are working to improve and have the capability to do so. As to those animal exhibitions which will not or cannot raise their standards and operations to achieve these high ideals, the Society is committed to their eradication.

Approved by the Board of Directors: June 23, 1998