Animal birth control programme by Sivasagar NGO

[Guest guest]

>Dr R Kalita, district Veterinary Officer said that ABC propgrame does

>not necessarily include all animals only street dogs which may, if

>not prevented, will outnumber human.

 

 

I hope all AAPN participants realize that this is an

exceedingly stupid statement, and that remarks of this sort should

immediately be corrected.

 

Street dogs & indeed all urban scavenger species are

dependent upon human refuse for their subsistence. Street dogs,

pigs, goats, feral cats, mice, rats, kites, crows, pigeons,

and monkeys all survive on what humans discard, or excrete, and

since humans use by far the greater portion of the edible material

that they bring into cities, there is not the slightest chance of

any relatively large scavenger species ever outnumbering humans.

 

Of the species I just listed, only mice and rats are capable

of outnumbering humans in urban habitats. Street dogs reach their

peak sustainable population level at about one per 10 humans. India

was there at one time, but the Indian ratio of dogs to people is now

as low as one dog per 40 humans nationally and one per 160 humans in

cities with good ABC programs.

 

Feral cats can go as high as one for every three humans, if

they are not having to compete with dogs for food. However, this

situation usually only occurs in relatively restricted areas, where

cats are tolerated but dogs are not.

 

When animals are deliberately fed by humans, dogs can become

as numerous as one for every four humans, as is currently the case

in the U.S. according to the latest dog data from the Pet Product

Manufacturers Association. The U.S. pet cat population is now at

one for every 3.3 humans.

 

However, these are the highest ratios of dogs and cats to

people ever recorded; and because humans deliberately provide

sustenance, these dog and cat populations are well above the normal

carrying capacity of the habitat.

 

Also of note is that manufactured food for dogs and cats is

made primarily from the leftovers of producing food for human

consumption. Thus even in the U.S., where most dogs and cats are

deliberately fed, they remain basically in a scavenger role, albeit

an assisted scavenger role.

 

 

 

--

Merritt Clifton

Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

P.O. Box 960

Clinton, WA 98236

 

Telephone: 360-579-2505

Fax: 360-579-2575

E-mail: anmlpepl

Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

 

[ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent newspaper providing

original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide,

founded in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes the

decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal protection organizations.

We have no alignment or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year;

for free sample, send address.]