OVMA Handbooks
Issue link: https://publications.ovma.org/i/571762
OVMA 420 Bronte Street South, Suite 205, Milton, Ontario L9T 0H9 T. 905.875.0756 or 1.800.670.1702 (toll-free) F. 905.875.0958 or 1.877.482.5941 (toll-free) info@ovma.org www.ovma.org b) To effectively enforce the animal control laws as outlined in a) above, commitment must be made towards providing the personnel, funds and equipment to do so. c) To better allow for the enforcement of the animal control laws as outlined in a) above, consideration should be made for a mandatory pet identification program. Pet identification must be permanent and this can be accomplished by the implantation of a subcutaneous electronic transponder. Consideration may also be given for the incorporation of the electronic pet ID as part of the municipal licensing program. d) Adoption of female unwanted pets would be made easier, and the risk for unwanted pregnancy less, if information was available, at the time of adoption, as to whether they had been sterilized already. This may be facilitated by the above electronic pet ID program. e) There should be a deferential fee schedule for the licensing of intact versus neutered (refers to surgical sterilization of either males or females) pets, as well as the establishment of realistic fines for infractions to existing animal control laws. These fines should be structured to act as a deterrent and money brought in through the implementation of such a fee schedule could be used to finance the guidelines outlined in a), b) and c) above. f) Any animal control laws and legislation, to be effective, must apply to both the feline and canine population. g) OVMA recognizes that effective animal control policies can have a dramatically positive impact on the pet overpopulation problem. (Ref. #3, 4) 2. Pet Sterilization a) Rendering an animal incapable of bearing offspring can be done by three main methods: i) Pet confinement during key stages of the reproductive cycle ii) Pharmacological suppression of the physiological events that support conception and pregnancy iii) Surgical removal, or alteration of the male or female reproductive tract to prevent conception and pregnancy As there are currently no pharmacological methods that will render an animal sterile for life (Ref. #5) and methods i) and ii) outlined above rely heavily on owner compliance, they should not be considered as reliable methods of pregnancy prevention. As such, surgical sterilization currently represents the most reliable method of ensuring sterility for the lifespan of the animal and