Potter League For Animals Position on Access to Veterinary Care The Potter League for Animals advocates for access to veterinary care for all pets regardless of family financial circumstances. I. Why do it? There are millions of pets living with families who cannot afford to provide veterinary care. Studies show that the financial inability of pet owners to provide necessary veterinary care is one of the primary reasons for pet surrenders to shelters. Additionally, unmet veterinary needs result in many pets dying prematurely and can result in the transmission of zoonotic diseases to humans. Most pet owners consider their pets to be members of their families and the inability to provide adequate veterinary care for their pets can negatively impact the owner’s physical, mental and emotional health. II. Pros • Pets enrich the lives of humans and everyone, regardless of financial circumstances, should be able to experience the unconditional love of a pet, and the joy, support and comfort they bring to their owners and families. The availability of affordable veterinary care for those in financial need is key to making pet ownership viable • Access to affordable veterinary care reduces family relinquishments of pets to shelters and the potential occurrence of less than humane outcomes for pets driven by the lack of financial resources needed to provide necessary veterinary care • The ability to provide needed veterinary care positively impacts the pet owners mental, emotional, and in some cases physical health • Access to affordable veterinary care, regardless of family financial circumstances, reduces suffering for pets in need of care • If shelters do not help pets receive treatment while they are in homes, shelters will often find themselves accepting and treating these pets III. Cons • These programs are expensive and add increased costs for shelters and animal welfare organizations, resulting in need to increase fund raising initiatives • Determining how to appropriately target care to communities and individuals with the most need while directing those who can afford services to private veterinary clinics can be challenging IV. Conclusion Studies have shown the positive emotional impact that pets have are particularly important for vulnerable populations, such as elderly, children and the homeless who have strong attachments to their pets. The Potter League for Animals is committed to supporting programs to assist those in financial need to obtain affordable veterinary care for their pet(s). References: Access to Veterinary Care Coalition (AVCC) Report dated December 17, 2018 conducted in collaboration with the Center for Applied Research and Evaluation (CARE) located at the University of Tennessee. Potter League For Animals Position on Trap, Neuter and Release (TNR) of Community (Feral) Cats The Potter League advocates and supports Community (Feral) Cat TNR Programs that are performed humanely and adhere to best practices. I. What is it? Community (feral) cats, are considered to be descendant from domesticated cats that no longer live with humans. These cats are often members of colonies that reside in one area. These cats have not been socialized with humans in the formative time of their development and are not adoptable. It is estimated that there are over 50,000 community cats living in Rhode Island and an estimated 58 million in the United States. Community Cat Trap, Neuter and Release (TNR) Programs are designed to be a humane approach to community cat colony control. These cats are trapped, spayed/neutered (altered) and released back to their colonies to live out their lives in an environment in which they are familiar and comfortable. II. Pros • The cat population in colonies will grow at a slower rate and eventually decrease • Stabilization of the population growth of community cats helps to reduce the number of those cats entering shelters • Altered community cats are generally healthier, have a longer life expectancy than their unaltered counterparts and studies have noted that in some cases exhibit a more friendly disposition • Altered community cats are less likely to travel out of their colonies because the need to find a mate is eliminated • Other mating behaviors such as yowling, spraying and fighting are either reduced or completely stopped in altered community cats • Controlling the community cat population will have a positive impact on bird and small mammal populations in areas where these colonies reside • Vaccinating community cats will help protect people from contracting zoonotic diseases that can easily spread to humans and can be especially dangerous in the young and immunocompromised III. Cons • Altering community cats is expensive and must be sustained over many years to be effective • Community cat colonies are merely home base and these cats are free to roam, hunt and seek other mates making it extremely difficult to completely control colony populations • Trapping and altering the approximately 50,000 community cats in Rhode Island is a daunting and extremely challenging task but required to effect widespread change in the future of community cat population • It does not immediately address the concerns of individuals who do not want cats in a specific area IV. Conclusion Although difficult and time consuming, altering community cats is an effective and humane method to help stabilize colony population. If the necessary resources can be acquired for this undertaking, it can result in a program that helps control community cat populations while helping to maintain a humane relationship with the local community cat colonies, and protect small mammals and birds living in those common areas. References: 1) Marcia Pobzeznik, ‘Over 1,000 feral cats have been trapped, treated, returned in Tiverton’, NewportRI, Middletown, RI, GateHouse Media, 2017, https://www.newportri.com/ed83f57d-4c9b-51b3-ba14-769c8295c0d8.html, (accessed 3 June 2019). 2) “Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR).” Alley Cat Allies, www.alleycat.org/our-work/trap- neuter-return/. 3) Alley Cat Allies, www.alleycat.org/our-work/trap-neuter-return/ 4) Lohr, Cheryl A., et al “Costs and Benefits of Trap- Neuter- Release and Euthanasia for Removal of Urban Cats in Oahu, Hawaii.” Conservation Biology, vol. 27, no.2012, pp.64-73. Doi;10.1111/j.1523-1739,2012,01935,x. 5) Operation CatNip in Florida (http://vmc.vetmed.ulf.edu/Operation Catnip.aspx ) POTTER LEAGUE FOR ANIMALS POSITION ON COYOTE MANAGEMENT The Potter League endorses actions and activities that promote the safe and peaceful co- existence with coyotes. As the lead organization for the Coyote Smarts initiative, the Potter League supports efforts to educate the community on how to synergistically co-exist with coyotes, raise awareness by creating a wider network for sharing information to protect pets and provide a better understanding of coyote behavior. I. What Is It? Coyote Management is the implementation of actions that contribute to humanely and effectively reducing threats and conflicts between coyotes, people and pets with the end goal of supporting respectful co-existence. Best Coyote Management practices result from an increased understanding of coyote behavior and how our relationships with these animals are directly affected by human behavior. II. Why Do It/How to do it? Coyote Management will help to ensure the future of coyotes as an integral part of the environment and urban/suburban ecosystems. Implementation of co-existence practices can reduce conflicts and negative interactions with coyotes thereby helping to sustain their place in the ecosystem. The following are generally accepted Coyote Management best practices: • Do not feed coyotes, either intentionally or unintentionally – pick up trash, secure garbage, keep fallen fruit and birdseed off the ground, eliminate accessible water sources, feeds pets inside, and don’t leave pets or food outside at night (Note: In Rhode Island, the feeding of coyotes is prohibited by regulation.) • Walk dogs on leashes – don’t allow pets to roam and pick up your small dog if you see a coyote • Avoid areas where there may be a potential den and/or pups • If approached by a coyote, get big and loud, and don’t run away • Appreciate coyotes from a safe distance III. Pros • Coyotes help keep ecosystems healthy and clean by contributing to population control of rodents, rabbits, deer, and other species that may cause conflicts with people in urban areas. They are found also to benefit bird populations by preying on small mammals that feed on birds and their eggs • Coyotes are nature’s “clean-up service”, removing carrion and thus contributing to the prevention of disease associated with carrion • Many people enjoy seeing and/or hearing coyotes, widely considered the “song dogs” 1 08/02/19 • The implementation of humane best management practices with coyotes is a more effective means of population control than other more disruptive or lethal means (Trapping, relocation, and/or killing coyotes has been shown to result in increased birth and pup survival rates and encourages the movement of animals into vacant areas) IV. Cons • Bold and problematic behavior by coyotes is unusual but coyotes have been known to attack domestic pets and, in very rare cases, humans • Coyotes may contract rabies, although documented cases are extremely rare. They can also be hosts and spread a wide variety of parasites, canine distemper, parvovirus and mange V. Conclusion Coyotes are important to the ecosystem and help to keep the biological community healthy and vital. Both leading humane organizations and coyote research support best Coyote Management practices that advocate altering human behaviors to increase comfort and decrease conflicts among coyotes, people, and domestic pets, as they are the most effective way of co-existing with coyotes. Research also supports that more lethal means of population management are ineffective and encourage coyote population growth. References: 1. The Humane Society of the United States. (2019a). A Template Coyote Management And Coexistence Plan. Retrieved July 19, 2019 from https://www.humanesociety.org/sites/default/files/docs/coyote-management-coexistence-plan.pdf 2.