Resumen de Companion animals: Taking a position on stray dogs
VETERINARIANS have an important part to play in the prevention and control of stray dog problems, through their multiple different roles in society, according to a position statement agreed by three European veterinary organisations.
The statement, which was adopted by the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE), the Union of European Veterinary Practitioners (UEVP) and the Federation of European Companion Animal Veterinary Associations (FECAVA) last month, is intended to promote veterinary leadership in stray dog control in Europe. It points out that ‘in different positions and at many levels, for example, as clinician, state officer, policy adviser, research worker, teacher, etc, veterinarians have the ability to contribute to prevention and control of stray dogs’.
In the statement, the three organisations set out the reasons why the stray dog issue is important and make recommendations for ways in which it could be tackled. They also set out the actions that they believe veterinary organisations, politicians, dog owners and breeders, educators and researchers, and non-governmental organisations should take.
The statement notes that there are various reasons behind the large number of stray dogs in several European regions, that the way stray dog problems are addressed varies greatly, and that there is no legal framework or guidelines for dealing with the problem at an EU level. It draws attention to the impact that stray dog populations can have on other animals and people, and the welfare issues that can affect the dogs themselves.
