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FEATURE
The State of the Cat
Cats have always been a little … different from dogs in their relationships with people—but have cats become second-class citizens in the pet world? Leaders from the animal welfare and veterinary fields joined pet industry officials last fall in Denver to brainstorm ways to improve the welfare and status of our feline friends. They offered a variety of strategies to recast the image of cats and reshape human behavior toward them.
DEPARTMENTS
Letterbox
Scoop
Coffee Break
In your space, you told us how and why you entered the animal welfare field.
Creature Feature
Collisions with window glass kill a staggering number of birds each year in the U.S. alone. But some simple changes, such as turning off building lights at night, can decrease the fatalities.
The “101” Department
Writing and assembling a good cage card is an art and a science. You can’t overwhelm people with information, but some basic details about Fido’s past life and current needs can help persuade a potential adopter to take a second look.
Q & A
Growing up in Iran, Fatemeh Motamedi saw stray animals abused and taunted in the streets. In 2002, she helped establish VAFA, the country’s first animal shelter. Motamedi discusses the challenges that animal lovers face in Iran.
Shelter Medicine
Reductions in shelter crowding often prove to be win-win scenarios that lower the risk of disease, improve animal welfare, and decrease euthanasia. Dr. Kate Hurley suggests shelter operators learn as much about crowding as they can in order to navigate its tricky intersection with animal welfare and shelter population management.
The Behavior Department
Dog behavior and training specialists are vital assets to shelters, where large numbers of dogs have been surrendered for behavior reasons. But some training staffers find themselves pressed for time, stretched too thin, and squeezed by budget constraints. Jean Donaldson discusses burnout among behaviorists.
Off Leash
Lambert the lion surprised motorists on Ohio’s Route 23 last fall after breaking out of his cage. Another zoo refugee? Not exactly. Ohio and a handful of other states allow private citizens to keep the big cats.
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