1. Understanding Pet Overpopulation
S. Taylor Slemmer
Humane Educator
Young-Williams Animal Center

2. The Questions We’ll Answer
Where did today’s pets come from?
What is domestication?
Why domesticate species?
What is the situation for domesticated species today?

3. Domestication
We all know dogs, cats, horses, and as companion animals, but where did they come from?
How are they related to their wild counterpart?

4. Domestication
Definition: to train a plant or animal to live in a human environment and be of some use to humans
To selectively breed an animal for a particular appearance, behavior, and function

5. Domestication
It takes time and many generations of breeding to domesticate a species

6. Example: Dogs

7. Example: Dogs Probably the first domesticated animal
Important to set the stage: what were humans doing?

8. Set the Stage Between 20,000 and 10,000 years ago Humans were nomads
Living in small family groups
Hunters & Gatherers

9. Set the Stage Division of Labor Women: The gatherers, caretakers
80% of calories came from their work!
Men: The hunters
Cooperative hunting
Very labor intensive
Hit or miss!
Wouldn’t it be great to have more help?

10. So Like Ourselves The other hunter at that time: wolves
Why ancient wolves?
Pack hunters
Family based, Gregarious (live in groups)
Very expressive
Complex social ranking
Dominant Male & Female; Among Males; Among Females

11. How Is It Done?
The act of domestication varies with the animal and what you want it to do
For dogs
Tame a few wolf cubs
The most friendly
Allow them to reproduce
They pass along those friendly genes
Some wild genes (instinct) remain
Repeat!

12. What Do Dogs Do? They shift their prey drive to a team effort
They work with humans to hunt
Wolves have speed, intelligence, ferocity
Humans have intelligence, tools
Success of the hunt means more food/calories for both groups

14. Archaeological Evidence
14,000 in a German Cave
12,000 in an Israeli cave
Human burial, holding a dog
How do we know it was a dog?
Not like today’s dog!
Teeth were wolf-like, but smaller
Common trend to breed animals smaller
Dogs, cats
You select for size

15. Other Species Sheep & Goats 9,000 years ago in the Middle East
Food source
The people were nomads, but also pastoralists
They traveled with animals

16. Other Species Cattle & Pigs 7,000 years ago
People are settling down some
Animals are:
Meat
Milk
Fertilizer supply for gardens
Agriculture takes hold
Human settlement patterns change dramatically

17. Cats: A Unique Example 4,000 years ago, Egypt
Not very social (solitary)
How did it ever work?
Cats get food, shelter, play
Humans get pest control, companionship (sort of!)

18. Cats: A Unique Example Why are cats still aloof?
Only recently domesticated
Very resilient
It is difficult to control their breeding (more later)

19. What Does It Mean for the Animals?
Dogs
Over time, they become dependent on humans
In exchange for their efforts (hunting, herding, and eventually companionship) they rely on us for everything
Food, water, shelter, security, companionship

20. What Does It Mean for the Animals?
Reproduction is no longer managed by nature
Eventually, it is not managed at all (see today)
Wild animals have offspring according to:
Social structure
Seasons
Food availability
Presence of predators

21. Companion Animal Reproduction
Food is regular
People provide it
They breed at a younger age
Everyone can reproduce
Not just dominant animals
Predators are scarce
They have more litters each year

22. Companion Animal Reproduction
“It’s natures way to let animals have offspring.”
Now you see why in this case, it isn’t nature’s way at all.
Humans have gotten what they want from animals, but they forgot their end of the bargain

23. Care
Exercise
Attention
Play
Medical Check-Ups

24. Not Natural At All Over-breeding
Remember, nature no longer controls this aspect of domesticated animals’ lives
Too many animals, not enough homes

25. A Special Case: Feral Animals
Domestic animals “leak” back into wild populations
Mustangs
Pigeons
Cats
Feral cats in our community
Do they make good pets

26. What are the risks for homeless animals?

27. What is the solution? Spay and neuter your pets Adopt from a shelter
Feral cats: TNR
Trap
Neuter
Release

28. “Many have forgotten this truth, but you must not forget it
“Many have forgotten this truth, but you must not forget it. You remain responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.”
-Antoine de Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince

29. For more information, please contact CAIT www. vet. utk
For more information, please contact CAIT