Stray animal populations are a huge animal welfare issue, with an estimated total of over 200 million stray dogs in the world and an even higher number of stray cats roaming the streets (according to the World Health Organisation). In addition, many more homeless animals are waiting in shelters for a home which often never comes. Killing as means of controlling the overpopulation of companion animals is still legal and practised frequently in several countries across the world. Stray dogs and cats often live very hard and short lives, suffering from a lack of food, shelter, untreated illness, injuries, and sometimes deliberate abuse.

And of course, not only the welfare of the animals is compromised, but because they have been abandoned or born on the streets there are issues for humans too. For example, they may present a health risk to humans: either through the transmission of zoonotic diseases (e.g. rabies and toxoplasmosis) or the contamination of the environment (through urine and faeces), and they may cause a public nuisance (e.g. fighting and scavenging for food, traffic accidents).

Did you know that a single female dog can give birth to more than a dozen puppies a year – or more than 80 during her lifetime. Female cats are even more prolific in their reproductive capacity. Each intact female cat potentially give birth to 180 kittens over the course of her lifetime. It does not take a degree in mathematics to understand how the population of strays can exponentially grow to significant levels when left unaddressed. Every new litter born is a huge stressor for the mother, who must sacrifice her body and health to feed her little ones, often with devastating consequences. The few puppies and kittens that do survive and make it to adulthood often become pregnant as young as 6 months and the sad cycle of suffering continues. Even though the infant mortality of stray animals is extremely high, with up to 75% of juveniles in some areas not surviving a month or two, dogs and cats are so fertile, that without intervention stray populations grow exponentially while more dogs and cats suffer.

Although in an ideal world, each dog and cat would have a warm, loving home, this is not the reality and FOUR PAWS works hard to improve the well-being of stray animals. As a first priority, we work towards a reduction of the stray as well through humane methods to improve their wellbeing. It is widely agreed that the only way to humanely and sustainably control stray dog populations is by implementing the CNVR method: Catch – Neuter – Vaccinate – Return. For cats specifically, we speak of TNVR: Trap – Neuter – Vaccinate – Return. These methods are employed by FOUR PAWS for ethically and effectively managing stray dogs and cats. However, these methods only address the symptoms so FOUR PAWS also works with local communities (including local authorities and local animal welfare groups) to introduce solutions for addressing dog and cat abandonment and increasing responsible pet ownership.

Homeless pets do not have access to medical care, and due to lack of adequate shelter, exposure to harsh weather conditions and not having a stable source of food and water, they are more vulnerable to getting sick or injured. In addition to sterilising and vaccinating animals to reduce stray populations, our veterinary teams also treat wounds and diseases and, if needed, perform additional surgeries.

Because each animal should be treated to the best of our abilities, it is important for our veterinary teams to stay up to date in the constantly evolving field of veterinary medicine. Vet training, with a focus on high-volume treatments for stray dogs and cats and high-quality clinical practice which is paramount for maintaining excellent clinical standards, surgical outcomes, and animal welfare, therefore happen on a regular basis.