A Short Brief From The Editor

Announcements

2nd Annual General Meeting

Beauty Pageant For Exotic Birds

No More Pets
by Noor Aini Abdullah -Amir

Responsible Pet Ownership
by Dr. S. Sivagurunathan

"Behaviour, Training & Human - Animal Bond" Course

Responsible Pet Ownership

What are the main responsibilities of a pet owner? How does one care for a pet? What does a pet require?

The answers to these questions are addressed in this article contributed by our Deputy Chairman, Dr. S. Sivagurunathan. With our main focus this year being on responsible pet ownership, we felt it would be appropriate to highlight some key points on the subject for the benefit of our members. This is the first of a two-part article, to be continued in our next update.

From being treated merely as decorative pieces in ancient days of the Chinese and Western nobility, for example, animals were later adopted for more functional roles as guard dogs, hunting dogs and "pest control agents" (cats to catch mice). Things gradually improved, with some animals being utilised for social roles as companion animals or pets.

Today, pets are accepted as an integral part of most societies. People from all walks of life have started to allow animals into their homes. Once inside the confines of the home, special care must be exercised to regulate the pet's behaviour. Owners must ensure that their dogs do not bark incessantly, chase or attack other pets or people in the neighbourhood and become a public nuisance. The irresponsible behaviour of some owners who have allowed their pets to breed indiscriminately and make excessive noise has led to various laws and legislation being passed by town and city councils. Thus laws are instituted by the various councils in order to reduce the nuisance that could be caused by pets.

The detailed legislation outlines the relationship between society and pets and touches on various aspects of pet ownership such as persistent barking, roaming and number of animals per household. Widespread control in urban areas has made it mandatory for dogs to be registered and licensed.

Responsibilities of a Pet Owner
Responsible pet owners should get to know their pets better, ensure they are healthy all through their lives, understand their behavioural problems, teach them obedience and adopt preventive measures for their pets. When all these factors are diligently practiced, pets can be easily raised to become pleasant companions to owners and well behaved social animals in public.

A pet owner's responsibility includes:
- Confining pets within the parameter of the house and preventing them from wandering beyond it.
- Providing suitable space for pets in order to eliminate unwanted behaviour associated with boredom, such as excessive barking.
- Attending to the pet's health. Maintaining the animal on a preventive health course rather than seeking a veterinarian's help only when it is sick.
- Spending enough time with pets - exercising, training, feeding and grooming according to the needs of the specific species.
- Complying with relevant by-laws such as removal of faecal deposits in public areas and complying with licensing requirements. "Pooper scoopers" must be used when taking pets out to defecate in public places. These responsibilities are collectively known as an owner's social responsibility and commitment to his or her pet.

Owners can also learn more about their pets and animals by obtaining information from veterinarians, animal welfare organisations, local councils, animal behaviourists and interested groups and individuals. Interest groups include Obedience Training Centres, Kennel/Cat Clubs and Puppy Parties which promote socialisation between pets and owners. There are also media outlets via television offering programmes like "Discovery", "National Geographic" and "Wildlife" and various publications, all providing more insight into the world of animals. Animal behaviourists provide suggestions on breeds of dogs and cats that are suitable for prospective pet owners, their lifestyles and expectations through the "select a pet" programme.

These sources of information also educate the young about animals, their behaviour patterns and personality traits. In this way, young children will not be afraid of cats and dogs, but instead will learn to treat them with respect and care, as well as view them as natural inhabitants of the environment and co-exist with them.

Preventive Health Care
Owners must regularly provide Preventive Health Care for their pets. A Preventive Health Care programme includes disease prevention, risk factor management and wellness programmes, and is aimed at promoting the health and well-being of pets. Owners are obliged to ensure that their pets receive all the health services recommended for them. The Preventive Health Care concept also differs from the traditional veterinary perspective which focuses on diagnosing and curing individual disease entities.

Preventive Health Care is also an important component of companion animal practise and responsible pet ownership. It involves all aspects of a pet's health such as genetic factors, its history, age, oral health, nutrition and the environment. The history of the individual pet, the results of its physical examination and laboratory data are essential elements of a good health care programme.

Risk Factor Maintenance
Intrinsic to health maintenance is the detection and management of health risk factors. There are two complementary approaches that can be used to reduce risk factors in pet or animal population. The first is aimed at the general pet population while the second is targeted at individuals with defined risk profiles. Genetic and environmental interactions play an important role in determining chronic disease outcomes. There should be an effective prevention strategy aimed at the general pet population. This should be complemented with recommendations for individual patients who are at high risk.

Vaccination and parasite control are some of the traditional Preventive Health Care services offered by veterinarians. Advice on pet selection and prophylactic dentistry are equally important for an effective health maintenance programme. The services provided in the programme vary according to the animal's functions, its age and the environment in which it lives.

Choice of Pet
It is advisable for prospective pet owners to consult veterinarians or animal behaviourists before they select a pet that would best suit their lifestyles and perceived needs. Wrong choices and inappropriate behaviour result in pets being abandoned, euthanised, sent to animal shelters or returned to pet stores, breeders or the original owners. Behavioural problems make owners dissatisfied, and adversely affect the pet's health.

Choosing A Puppy: For illustration, I have provided below the personalities of two different breeds of dogs:

Chow Chow It has a unique confirmation, one man loyalty, highest ranked breed in territorial defence, ranked moderate in terms of snapping at children with perhaps lowest ranking in obedience training. It is a strong dog and such breed can only be used as guard dogs and as companion animals for adults.

Retriever Good with children - very seldom snaps at children, moderate and does not demand attention from a single person, ranks average in terms of protection, easy to train and house break. A good family dog.

Posters on "Choosing A Puppy To Suit Your Lifestyle" are available for sale, the proceeds of which will be donated to the Foundation.

Choosing A Cat: Cats, like dogs, make good companion animals. The size of cats often makes them more suitable than dogs for some environments. The fact that cats use litter boxes for elimination and do not make as much noise or nuisance as dogs, contributes to the popularity of cats in high rise buildings and high density residential areas. Furthermore, cats can be left alone for most of the day, which makes them optimum pets for those who are working. Cats should be carefully selected according to size, coat, breed predelections to medical problems, colour and gender, to meet the lifestyle of the family. (To be continued in next issue...)

[Extract from book by Dr. S. Sivagurunathan entitled "Pets Have Feelings Too", the proceeds from sales of which were donated to MNAWF. The book is available for sale. For info or inquiries, contact (03) 443 5113]