Ever since I’ve been a child, I have had very significant nightmares. I often dream about my house being on fire, or being maimed or killed in a robbery or abduction or any other type of foul play. I have died many times in my dreams – more often than I can count.
Furthermore, I experience sleep paralysis. I wake or semi-wake from nightmares, only to not be able to move from bed, and have the terrifying experience of both being conscious of the fact that I am dreaming, but unable to remove myself from the situation. Then there are the times that I have just sleep paralysis with no dreaming, which is almost as frightening as your body tricks you into believing that you are also unable to breathe.
Luckily, I know that my dreams and nightmares are merely figments of my imagination, and I can rationalise the sleep paralysis experience. I know that a masked intruder has never entered the house and killed me or my partner. I know that I have never been in a house fire. I know that I have never been involved in a robbery and witnessed the slaughter of bystanders. I know that I have never, actually, been unable to breathe.
Despite ‘knowing’ that these things are not real, they still make way to very real fears for me. I slept with a light on until I was 14 and sometimes still do if I am home alone. I always lock my car doors when I am driving. At night, I am hyper-vigilant in public spaces, and often find myself looking for weapons to use in self defence.
Me, a rationale adult human, is very affected by the nightmares I have – even though they’re not real. Like Phoebe, in Friends (watch from 3 minutes).
http://youtu.be/2EomKbf9gks?t=3m
But I often I wonder if our dogs can conceptualise their dreams as real. Is it far-fetched to think that maybe dogs are psychologically affected by their dreams?
We know dogs must dream. We can see them partake in REM sleep. What they are dreaming about, however, remains a mystery.
Dreams are something we learn about. I remember a six year old telling me over breakfast, with a bemused expression, “I think I had a dream”. This child has knowledge on the concept of ‘dreams’, but was still connecting this term with her own cognitive processes. While we can teach children on what a dream is, we do not have this luxury with dogs.
Is there much of a difference between the memory of a dream and a memory of a real experience?
I have nightmares that result in real-life fears. Despite my capacity to conceptualise and rationalise my dreams, they still translate to fears in my life.
Is it possible that dogs are having nightmares? And is it such a big stretch to suggest that these dreams may affect a dog’s behaviour?
Full credits to Saranimals on the great title on this post. Sara blogged “Are you willing to be wrong about that?” in regard to dog training. I instantly knew I needed to create this sequel on ‘the overpopulation problem’.
You’ve probably heard that there is an overpopulation problem; that there are too many dogs and not enough homes.
But, how do you know this?
And, are you willing to be wrong about that?
Read on, or listen to the audio. (Audio only summarises the blog post and does not contain new information.)
The common figure quoted is 250, 000 dogs and cats are killed in shelters in Australia annually. While I question the accuracy of this figure (i.e. I think it’s actually quite inflated), for the purposes of this article, let’s run with it as there are no alternative figures available.
We know the RSPCA has high kill rates (except in the ACT), but I’m going to use their statistics for making a guess on how many of those 250,000 pets killed in Australian shelters are dogs. By using the RSPCA’s stats, we are probably over-stating kill rates, but I rather be using a figure that is too big than too small.
The RSPCA, Australia wide, killed 37,862 dogs and cats in the 2011/2012 financial year. 14,211 dogs and 23,651 cats. That is, 37.5% of them were dogs.
So, if we extrapolate that 37.5% of the 250,000 animals killed in shelters are dogs, then that means 93,750 are dogs.
We will start with the theory that 93,750 dogs are being killed in shelters in Australia each year. This is a rough, and probably generous, estimate.
This means, that if 0.4% of the Australian population adopted just one dog from a shelter, then there would be no dogs being killed in shelters.
Consider that 450,000 dogs and puppies are sold in Australia each year (source: ACAC paper 2009 PDF). 2% of Australians add a dog or puppy to their family each year as it stands. With 90,000 extra dogs available, we just have to bump this figure up to 2.4%.
If we could sell dogs through marketing to just 90,000 Australians (that’s a town the size of Toowoomba or Bendigo), we would effectively remove the need to kill dogs in shelters.
There are about 3.4 million dogs (3,400,000) owned in Australia (source: ACAC). This is significant because:
For every 362 dogs owned in Australia, one dies in Australia. That is, less than .3% (point three percent) of Australian dogs die in shelters each year. While it adds up to a big number, it’s not much of the total population. There’s not many irresponsible owners out there, really. It’s an important point to remember.
Estimates say that about 10-13% of dogs die each year from natural causes. That means that 340,000 people have a ‘vacancy’ in their lives for a dog on an annual basis.
There are also a number of new vacancies as people move into new accommodation or decide to add a second dog to their family.
19.61% of households who don’t own a pet want to in the future (Source: RSPCA).
So, considering all this, I’d argue that rehoming 93,750 dogs is a very achievable target.
However, I have some good news: We don’t even have to rehome 93, 750 dogs.
Dogs are typically owned by people. While it is common for cats to live in free-ranging communities and never have a true owners, dogs are not the case. When a dog becomes lost, typically, there is a home trying to find them.
So the good news is that we can try to get these 93,750 back to their original home instead of into a new home. Shelters can:
As pets enter their facility, post (good quality, clear) pictures of their pets online, such as on:
Peruse the lost dogs notices in the local newspapers and on online sites, like those listed above.
Partner with local publications to get the photos of every impounded animal in print.
Use the details on the dog’s collar or tag to identify and contact the owner.
Scan the animal for a microchip and use the details to contact the owner.
If the name of the owner is known, but contact details are not up to date, pursue alternative ways to make contact (like using the electoral role.)
It’s hard to know exactly how many dogs could go home if the shelters invested this effort into finding their old home for them to go to.
Many argue that there is an overpopulation of dogs because dogs are dying in shelters. This is not evidence of an overpopulation problem. Shelter killing is the result of shelters killing. Shelter killing is a choice that shelters make. While shelters often claim “No one wants to kill pets“, they then make choices in contradiction to this. They choose to not actively pursue reclaims, they choose to not market animals to get them into new homes, and, then claim they have no choice but to kill their charges.
Australian shelters commit three great crimes:
They do not attempt to reunite pets with their families,
They do not attempt to find pets new families, and
They then kill pets who fail to find existing or new families.
Clearly, there are very few dogs that enter Australian pounds, very few dogs who don’t have a home to go to, and, at the same time, an abundance of homes looking for a new dog.
We do not have an overpopulation problem. We have a shelter problem. If we want to see less shelter killing, we need to demand shelters get over the myth of overpopulation.
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This post has been brewing for a long time, and I felt that I really could not articulate this as well as no-kill blogging stars Shel (at Saving Pets), Nathan Winograd (at his self-titled blog), or Christie Keith (at the Dogged Blog).
As such, I really suggest you read more on the links (below) to get a more complete view of the issue.
I recently ‘liked’ the Downtown Dog Rescue Facebook page and since have had my newsfeed collect many wonderful good news stories from the organisation. I had to share at least some of their amazing stories in South LA.
So what’s to like about Downtown Dog Rescue?
Surrenders are a Poverty Issue, Above All Else
Downtown Dog Rescue recognises that the number one reason that people surrender their pets is poverty. South LA has 40% of its population living below the poverty line, and there is only 1 job for every 7 people (from the DDR website).
Mandatory spay neuter and prohibition of chaining means that owners must have their pets spayed or neutered, and must have fences to keep their pets. When people cannot afford to meet their legislated ownership requirements, they feel they have no choice but to surrender their pets. While there is low cost spay and neuter available, as DDR says, ‘Low cost is not low enough’ and it’s true.
Importantly, poverty doesn’t make someone ‘irresponsible’ or otherwise unworthy of pet ownership – and DDR never makes this claim.
Part of Dog Rescue is Preventing Dogs from Needing Rescue
An overlooked part of dog rescue is to prevent dogs ever being in the position of needing rescue. That is, preventing animals from entering shelters to begin with.
So how exactly do you stop animals from ending up in the shelter? The pie chart below shows areas that DDR are helping in regard to the 650 intercepted animals in April-June 2013.
Spay/neuter is the big problem. When people come to the shelter wanting to surrender their pets because they can’t afford spay/neuter surgery, DDR refers them to their free spay neuter program. Like this dog.
Some people feel they need to surrender their pets because of their current housing arrangement. In some situations, like this cat, DDR helps by paying the necessary pet bond and thereby keeping the family together.
The ‘humane euthanasia for senior pets’ always brings tears to my eyes when reading their Facebook posts. Many pet owners, knowing their pet is elderly and sick, can’t afford euthanasia and so bring the pet to the shelter to surrender-for-euthanasia. Instead of allowing animals to die in a foreign and scary environment, surrounded by strangers, DDR helps families be by-the-side of their pet in a vet clinic euthanasia. It’s a small last act of kindness that made a difference for this dog, and this one, and this one, and this one, and many more.
DDR respects the community that they’re working with to improve animal welfare in the area.
Rehome from Homes, Not the Shelter
An important role that DDR accomplishes is preventing surrenders by networking and advertising ‘at risk of surrender’ dogs. That is: If a dog presents to the shelter to be surrendered, DDR can try to keep the dog out of the shelter by exploring alternative rehoming avenues. For example, they gave a shout out to find Butter a home, and this litter of puppies were lucky enough to be rehomed without ever setting foot in the shelter. Excellent outcomes in these two examples, and just one of the many ways DDR is trying to reduce relinquishment of pets to the shelter.
Paying Reclaim Fees
It’s a common pattern internationally: Dogs who get impounded, for whatever reason, often have an owner who wants them back, but can’t afford the reclaim fee, and so dogs are effectively held ransom by the council or the shelter until a release fee is paid. While the motive is to recoup expenses associated with the impounding, and perhaps fines for dogs ‘roaming at large’, in reality it just prevents dogs going home with their families. This is a scenario that DDR has seen time and time and time again. Luckily for the pets involved, the DDR will often assist in paying reclaim fees to ensure pets go home instead of stay in a shelter.
Providing Containment Options
Another big thing that DDR contributes to the community is assistance with fencing problems, chiefly, fixing fences or building pens. Many of the fences they fix are so simple, but make a big deal to the life of pets and their owners: They get to stay together.
And that’s not all!
DDR does anything they can to keep pets out of shelters, or just improve the welfare of pets in the area. Like:
“What we’ve learned; it’s not that people who come to the shelter don’t care, but they think they have run out of options”.
The situation in South LA is also a careful reminder that introducing animal welfare legislation (such as mandatory desexing or ‘no chaining’) can also have an impact on surrenders… Which in turn effectively nullifies any welfare benefit from the legislation in the first place.
In a world where my Facebook newsfeed is often overwhelmed with sensationalist animal rescue stories, my eyes constantly fall on the understated but hugely significant work of Downtown Dog Rescue. Their good news posts bring tears to my eyes. I can’t get enough of these happy stories! I am so excited for the dogs and people that this rescue is helping.
How you can help
DDR works on donations. They currently running a ‘donation special’, where any $1 donated by the public will be matched by the ASPCA. So now is a fantastic time to make a donation to all the good work DDR are doing. There can be no doubt that their services are truly helping pets and people, and providing the exact type of help that is needed. Donate here!
There is some confusion on what ‘with papers’ and ‘registered breeder’ means, and this confusion adds to the complexity of looking for a breeder and a puppy. This is a brief post that explains what ‘papers’ are and a ‘registered breeder’ is, to ensure that you don’t find yourself ripped off in your puppy purchase.
What are ‘papers’?
When you say, ‘a purebred puppy with papers’, then the ANKC (Australian National Kennel Council) pedigree papers is what ‘the papers’ bit is.
It’s also a good idea, when purchasing a puppy, to look for other documentation, such as:
A vaccination certificate
A microchipping certificate
A vet check certificate or similar (keep in mind that vaccines can only be administered to healthy animals, so if the puppy is vaccinated, s/he should’ve been ‘healthy’ at the time of vaccination)
Any relevant health testing paperwork for parents and puppy (this will depend on the breed)
What is a ‘registered’ breeder?
When people refer to a ‘registered’ breeder, they are referring to a breeder which is registered with an ANKC member body (such as Dogs SA, Dogs Victoria, and so forth). A registered breeder should be able to show a membership card with their name, their prefix, and a membership number on it.
Some people call themselves a ‘registered breeder’ because they are registered with the council. While many councils require breeders to be registered with them, it is not any type of endorsement for the welfare of the animals that are maintained or bred at the facility.
How do I find a puppy with papers from a registered breeder?
If you are looking for a purebred puppy from a registered breeder, then your best bet is to contact your ANKC body to ask for a breeder list. DogzOnline also maintains a list of ANKC registered breeders (though not all breeders are listed on their site).
If you are an international reader (outside of Australia), then you will have to try to find your national kennel club. The USA has the AKC and the UK has The Kennel Club.
In mid-May, we welcomed ‘Bandit’ into our home as our approximately 35th foster dog. He was surrendered into care as his owner moved interstate, left Bandit with his mother, and his mother thought Bandit deserved a better life than she could provide.
He arrived as a boisterous 30kg dog who thought nothing of jumping up and placing his feet on your torso, or knocking your jaw with his thick head. He has had a huge re-education while he has been here, and now we very rarely see him jump up at home.
We were pleased to find Bandit was toilet trained and friendly with all people, including children, and very tolerant of all handling. He can sit, drop, and shake hands.
He is confident and adaptable, and has a happy-go-lucky disposition. Bandit loves his toys and playing fetch.
Bandit is strong on lead, but is learning a lot since coming into care about the ‘right way’ to walk on leash. He needs an owner that is strong enough to cope with Bandit if he does choose to pull, but at the same time committed to continuing his education on lead-walking.
Here’s a video showing how he’s going at loose lead walking:
Bandit is a bit rude with other dogs, but genuinely likes them, just has trouble expressing himself appropriately. It would be important for him to meet any dogs he’d have to live with, to make sure they get along.
He is not good with cats or poultry.
He is available for adoption and is currently located in metropolitan Adelaide. His adoption fee is $150.
