Veterinary Medicine - October 2007 - (Page 656)

CE OPEER-REVIEWED Animal sheltering in the United States: Yesterday, today, and tomorrow Dog pounds are a thing of the past. Today’s animal shelters are community centers that provide numerous public services. But these services, such as behavior classes, often require veterinary input. Are you up to the challenge? Lila Miller, DVM H omeless animals are no longer viewed as a public nuisance to be warehoused in substandard facilities and disposed of as quickly and quietly as possible. Just as there has been a shift in the role companion animals play in the lives of people, the way society views homeless animals and the care they should receive in shelters has also shifted. Increasingly, the trend across the United States is to design shelters as friendly and inviting community centers where the public can go to not only relinquish or adopt pets but also to receive counseling on responsible pet ownership and animal behavior problems and to receive services ranging from low-cost, elective spay or neuter surgeries to comprehensive veterinary care. To effectively satisfy the rising demand for better preventive healthcare programs and veterinary services for shelter animals, veterinarians must understand the mission and goal of animal shelters and the resources available to them. Veterinarians also need to recognize that practicing veterinary medicine in a shelter can vary substantially from traditional small-animal Lila Miller, DVM Department of Veterinary Outreach American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 424 E. 92nd St. New York City, NY 10128 private practice. Failure to appreciate these points can lead to frustration and resentment by both the shelter workers and veterinarians, which can lead to a breakdown of communication and may ultimately result in the shelter animals not receiving appropriate and humane care. My goal with this article is to outline what practitioners need to know about animal shelters to reduce these misunderstandings and provide shelter animals with the best care possible. HISTORY OF ANIMAL SHELTERS Animal shelters evolved from pounds, which were used in colonial towns to round up and hold wandering livestock that could be redeemed from the poundmaster for a fee. Because an economic value was placed on these animals, they were often reclaimed. When the system began to be used to impound wandering dogs and cats, these animals were often killed because little monetary value was placed on them.1 The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was founded in 1866 as the first animal welfare organization in the United States. The organization’s focus was on the mistreatment of horses, not dogs and cats. Several other humane organizations were founded soon after in major cities, but they were not, and still are not, affiliated with each other. The concept of animal control and shelters slowly took hold, and cities began issuing dog licenses as a source of funding for these programs. However, the shelter’s primary role was not to provide humane care and treatment of the animals but to provide public safety and to protect private ©iStockphoto.com/Jiri Vaclavek 656 October 2007 VETERINARY MEDICINE

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Veterinary Medicine - October 2007

Veterinary Medicine - October 2007 Contents Leading Off The Veterinary Medicine Interview: Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald Toxicology Brief Idea Exchange Animal Sheltering in the United States: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow The Euthanasia Problem Offer Basic Behavior Counseling for Every Pet at Every Visit Promote and Perform Early Spaying and Neutering Assist Owners in Selecting the Best Pets for their Lifestyles Champion Animal Welfare in Your Community CE Form Product Review Advertiser Index Marketplace/Classifieds Mind Over Miller

Veterinary Medicine - October 2007

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