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orcinus-veterinarius · 26 days

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When horses end up with severe leg/hip injuries, they are almost always put to sleep. The odds of recovering full mobility from such injuries are slim and the odds of reinjury are high, so even if the horse is perfectly healthy in all other aspects, it is generally recognized to be more humane to put them down than to keep them alive just to live the rest of their lives limping around a small paddock or stall. A life for a horse in which s/he cannot gallop, leap, explore and play is no life at all. Why not apply the same logic to cetaceans? A life for a cetacean in which they can’t dive hundreds of meters, make meaningful autonomous choices (“should I play with the rubber ball or the puzzle feeder today?” is not a meaningful choice; research has shown that autonomy is crucial for animal welfare), echolocate and experience the rich biodiversity of the ocean is no life. I really don’t understand why it’s so horrible to think it more humane to euthanize a confused and sick orca calf if there is no chance of rehab and release than to take her/him permanently into captivity. It’s not disparaging or hateful to cetacean trainers to say so—I know they care about animals—it’s simply a logical ethical stance. Instead of searching in vain for orca conservation organizations that aren’t “radically anti-captivity”, maybe pro-caps should look inwards and ask themselves why all the major orca organizations (Center for Whale Research, Orca Behavior Institute, OrcaLab, Wild Orca, Orca Conservancy, Far East Russia Orca Project, etc.) as well as some cetacean organizations (ex. Whale and Dolphin Conservation, Cetacean Society International) oppose captivity. Is it because all of these esteemed groups, which if you look them up are all staffed by credentialed scientists, have been duped by the “animal rights agenda”, or could it be because maybe, just maybe, they know what they’re talking about? If captive orcas are so different from wild ones that wild orca biologists have no credibility to speak about their welfare, then that’s a clear indictment of captivity already.

Hi. I'm sorry for not answering right away, I was still at my externship when I got your ask, and I wanted to be able to sit down and give you a proper answer. So unfortunately, I don't think what I say will satisfy you. I don't expect to change your mind, nor is that my goal here. I only want to explain why I believe the way I do, so that you or others reading this can at least understand that it's not a position I take lightly, nor do I think it's infallible.

(Long post below the cut):

To start off, as an (almost) veterinarian, there are absolutely plenty of circumstances where I find euthanasia to be the correct decision. Euthanasia is our final gift to our patients, a swift and painless death in the face of prolonged suffering or poor quality of life. A large dog with debilitating osteoarthritis. A cat with terminal lymphoma. A down cow. A raptor with an amputated leg. Or like you mentioned, a horse with a fractured hip. These animals would live in a constant state of pain that they don't understand, and death can rightly be considered a kindness to them.

But an otherwise healthy orca calf? I would consider that a false equivalence. I agree that life in the wild should be prioritized whenever possible, and that captive orcas lead very different lives than their wild counterparts. But if that orca cannot return to the wild (orphaned and unable to be reunited with its pod, habituated to humans, non-painful disability such as deafness), and there is a facility willing to take it on, I do not think euthanasia is an appropriate option. In human care, that calf can still swim, breach, and dive, even if not to the same depths as the ocean (it's also worth noting that these are all costly behavior energetically and are not performed for no reason). It can still socialize and form family bonds with an adopted pod of whales. It can still (theoretically) mate and rear calves. It can still engage its big brain in problem-solving through training and enrichment in the place of hunting. And as a bonus, it will never go hungry and has access to veterinary care if ill or injured.

This is not a wild life. This is not the same life they would've, or should've known. A pool, no matter how well-appointed, is not the ocean, and we should not claim they're comparable. But I don't think it's a fate worse than death. I truly don't. But if it is... if freedom really is worth more than life, then all captive whales need to be euthanized. Even in a sea pen setting, they will not be free. They will not choose their food, their companions, their enrichment, their comings and goings. Those choices will still be made on their behalf by caregivers, and they will still have pretty much the same levels of autonomy as in their tank habitat. They will still be captive. (While some people do advocate for this, I don't think it's a popular outlook. Even SOS Dolfijn, a historically anti-cap organization, recently announced plans to build an aqauarium as a permanent home for non-releasable cetaceans rather than continuing to euthanize them).

Speaking of autonomy, yes, it is very important. But I truly don't think the orcas are distressed by the lack of meaning in choosing between enrichment devices. I think that's why we disagree on this topic... we have different worldviews. We both see orcas as beautiful, intelligent creatures, but I do not see them as people. They are animals, and for all their complexity, I interpret their behavior the same way I do any other species... they are motivated by food, reproduction, and (since they're highly social) companionship. Because of that, I still think we can give them a good life in human care, which is why it frustrates me to see the zoo community throw up their hands and give up rather than trying to improve our current less-than-ideal setups (*shakes my fist at the Blue World project*).

Now, I don't think it's wrong to be emotional about animals. I most definitely am! And it's very clear to me you love orcas and care about their wellbeing deeply. I admire that about you, and I appreciate your passion.

On to the next point... in the cetacean world, I've found that there is an unfortunate divide between researchers and caregivers who work with cetaceans in human care and those who study them exclusively in the wild. And that schism far predates the Blackfish era. Most of those organizations you listed are indeed legitimate, and I fully support their vital work and encourage others to do the same. A few of them, though, share things like this:

I think you can understand why this hurts me. And it's a lie. I've now interned at three aquariums (two of them AZA-accredited) that house various species of cetacean, and it's impossible for me to reconcile what I know and have seen to be true and what Whale and Dolphin Conservation wants the public to believe: that these unbelievably loved, vivacious animals are drugged and tortured by their greedy captors. It's not true, and I do not appreciate WDC for spreading this creepy artwork around. Nor do I think that fighting captivity is a beneficial allocation of resources when there is an overwhelming number of genuine threats to the survival of wild cetaceans.

Anyway, back to the scientists. Personally, I don't consider researchers who work exclusively with wild orcas to be either superior or inferior to those who work with captive whales. And sometimes I wonder how much of their position is a self-fulfilling prophecy: if someone opposes captivity on moral grounds, they won't work with captive whales, so they'll never get to know what their lives and care are like beyond maybe a single tour of the park or memories of how things were done in the 1960s (like Dr. Spong, who worked with some of the very first captive orcas at the Vancouver Aquarium).

I also don't think it diminishes the expertise of wildlife biologists to say that they are not experts on husbandry, training, or medical care... those are very different fields, and ideally, they should all inform each other. And of course, there are folks who work with both wild and captive whales. One of the reasons I linked SR3 in my previous post is they have staff with backgrounds in both managed care and research of free-ranging populations (I actually have no idea what the organization's official stance on captivity is, it's not something they address).

Maybe I'm wrong. I try my best to keep an open mind, but I know I'm also swayed by my own preconceptions and experiences. When I started this blog in December 2020, I was a first year vet student with minimal actual experience outside of domestic animals and some herps, and had only recently adopted the pro-captivity outlook. Now, I'm much more deeply involved in the zoo and aquarium world. These are people I know and respect, people who have written me letters of recommendation and comment on my Facebook posts, people I've had dinner with and showed up with after hours to care for a sick animal. And I recognize that biases me. The zoo world is often resistant to change, especially folks who have been in the industry for many years. And that doesn't do anyone, especially the animals, any good. I don't want to get stuck in an echo chamber, so I make it a point to read anti-captivity literature, even when it upsets me. If there is anything I can do to improve their lives, I want to learn about it, regardless of the source.

I try to adapt to new information. For example, in the past few months alone, I've become a lot more favorable toward the idea of sea pen habitats. My concerns about "sanctuaries" are more logisitical* and philosophical** rather than the idea that artifical habitats are inherently superior to pen habitats (they're not), especially when plenty of traditional facilites already make great use of ocean pens or enclosed lagoons. There are pros and cons to both, and a lot of it depends on the needs of the individual animals.

*funding; maintenance; lack of land-based backup pools and fully-equipped medical facilities; introducing immunologically naive animals to pollutants and infectious agents; disruptions to native wildlife; staffing activists and wildlife biologists rather than those with relevant husbandry experience

**villainizing aquariums; promoting the project as a "release to freedom" to the public when it's really another form of captivity; claiming the animals' lives will be "natural" when they will still require training, artificial enrichment, contraceptives, and social management if done correctly; downplaying or completely denying the very real risks of such a transition and insisting the animals will automatically be better off when Little White and Little Grey have proved that's not the case

If you made it to the bottom, thanks for reading. I wish all the best for you, and I mean that genuinely ❤️ even if we disagree, I hope you can appreciate our shared love for these animals and a desire for their wellbeing. Best of luck in all your endeavors!

#also no hard feelings if you unfollow me #I understand #orcas #killer whales #dolphins #cetaceans #marine mammals #animal welfare #cetacean captivity #pro captivity #anti captivity #aquariums #answered asks #anonymous

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kristablogs · 4 years

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How to help your pet with separation anxiety

What do you mean you have to go back to the office?! (Pexels/)

Ever wish you could peer into your cat, dog, skink, or betta fish’s brain? It would give you a far better perspective of the world—or at least help you be a smarter pet parent. We’re here to demystify your animals (to some extent), while also shedding advice on how you can best thrive together. Welcome to Pet Psychic.

For the past couple of months, our pets have become our coworkers, confidants, and constant companions. With social distancing still going strong in many states, we’ve been spending a lot of time inside on our couch with our pets curled up next to us, providing adorable distractions all day long.

For better or for worse, though, governments have started opening up communities across the country. Soon, we’ll be headed back to our offices, and our pups, kitties, and other animals will no longer have our undivided attention day in and out.

What do we do to start getting our fluffy, feathered, or scaly buddies ready for more and more alone time? Here are a few tips from animal experts on readjusting to schedules that don’t include 24/7 cuddles.

Look for warning signs

You’ve probably heard about pet separation anxiety, but what does it actually look like? Some signs would be your dog or cat exhibiting destructive behaviors after you leave home, like pacing, vocalizing, trembling, or even relieving itself on the carpet.

Separation anxiety isn’t the only kind of stress that a pet might go through as you get busy again. General anxiety due to change is also common, says Rebecca Ruch-Gallie, a veterinarian at Colorado State University’s veterinary teaching hospital: Pacing, lip licking, salivating, and a flat or sunken body posture can all be clues.

Your furry buddies might not express these behaviors while you’re around, but you can keep a watchful eye on them with a well-placed camera. If you spot something surprising on the feed, share the clip with your vet.

“We’ve been able to diagnose many pets from a video that just bark a little bit right when their owners have left, and then they just do not settle,” says Margaret Gruen, a professor of behavioral medicine at NC State University’s vet school.

It’s especially important to look out for these behaviors if you’ve just adopted a shelter animal. One of the most positive things to come out of shutdowns is that more and more people have opened their hearts and homes to new furry friends. But shelter animals are more likely to have anxiety, period, says Sara Bennett, a professor of behavioral medicine at NC State University’s vet school. If they’ve entered your life in a time where you can shower love on them all day and things suddenly change, you’ll want to be extra vigilant in watching for symptoms of stress.

It’s also super important to remember that whether it’s a destroyed couch or a pile of poop on the floor, your pet isn’t trying to get back at you for leaving them, says Leanne Lilley, a vet and professor of behavioral medicine at Ohio State. Your kitty or pup probably unsafe or panicked, and that’s why they are acting out. So, try your best not to get angry with them, no matter how irritating they can be.

“Vaccinate” your pet against missing you

Since the shutdowns began, many of our schedules have gone to the wayside. We’ve traded our work clothes for all-day sweatpants, and happy hour starts the second the laptop closes. That’s all fine and dandy, but a lack of a schedule can be confusing for our animals, especially when they usually have free reign of the house from 9 to 5 every day.

Some ways to start getting your pets back into the swing of things is by “vaccinating” them to being attached to your hip, says Katherine Houpt, an animal behavior expert and veterinarian at Cornell. With a dog, use a sit and stay command and then step away to see if they can resist chasing you down. If they obey and seem comfortable, there’s a good chance your pup will survive the day without you.

Another way to ease your pet into the situation is by stepping out your front door for a few minutes and then coming back in. If you keep upping the time of the experiment, your dog or cat will eventually realize that no matter how long you leave for, you’re always going to come back and be excited to see them.

You can also help get your pets back on schedule by running errands around when you’d leave the house for work, instead of some random point in the day. If you’re generally out of the house for the day by 9 a.m., let’s say, try and make your grocery run then (even if that means getting out of your pajamas before noon).

Make sure you’re not the only source of fun

We love our pets a whole lot—but we we have other relationships and commitments in our lives. For our pets, on the other hand, they pretty much just have us. They aren’t texting their litter mates to catch up and swiping around on the furry equivalent of Bumble. No pressure, but you’re pretty much your cat or dog’s world.

That makes leaving them behind to head to the office all the rougher. Luckily, dogs don’t need much to be entertained. Fill up a kong toy or use a puzzle feeder to keep the entertainment going while you’re outside of the home. A timed kibble dispenser can also help your pet learn that you aren’t the patron saint of food.

“You become not so much the sole caretaker in the world,” Ruch-Gallie says. She also suggests leaving around special toys and snacks for when you leave, so that your cat or dog associates something positive with that alone time.

Keep up the fun things you did during shutdowns

If you’ve been taking your dog on longer, more frequent romps in the past few months, you’re not alone. It’s become a highlight in many pet owners’—and pets’—days.

Continue this new tradition of leisurely strolls filled with sniffing, socializing, and observing as life picks up again. Not only is getting out and about good for your health, it also does wonders for your dog’s welfare, Gruen says.

In this time of getting to know your animal better, you might also realize that you don’t need to crate them all day when you’re at work, Guren says. Let them roam around in a room with some kind of monitoring system in place. “Maybe we can make some changes for the better,” Guren adds.

If nothing else, the pandemic has likely showed you how your pet reacts to your presence. Don’t forget how much your animal loves you and is excited to share time with you, whether it’s all day or after work for a different kind of happy hour.

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scootoaster · 4 years

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How to help your pet with separation anxiety

What do you mean you have to go back to the office?! (Pexels/)

Look for warning signs

“Vaccinate” your pet against missing you

Make sure you’re not the only source of fun

Keep up the fun things you did during shutdowns

If you’ve been taking your dog on longer, more frequent romps in the past few months, you’re not alone. It’s become a highlight in many pet owners’—and pets’—days.

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doghausmtl · 5 years

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7 Easy Indoor Boredom Busters

When the weather dips to uncomfortable lows and the snow never seems to stop falling, we’re not the only ones who start feeling a little restless from spending so much time indoors.

Our cats and dogs still need their mental, emotional, social, and physical needs met, even if they can’t (or won’t) go outside. So we’ve compiled a list of things to do indoors that will fulfill their needs - and keep them happy and cozy, as well!

1. Play!

Dogs and cats are social animals and need emotionally and socially stimulating interactions to feel fulfilled. When their outdoor excursions are cut short because of extreme weather, it’s up to us to fill in the role of other animals and offer them an outlet for their playful and social behaviours.

Some playful games that have left us laughing along with our pets include:

hide and seek: while your pet remains in a ‘stay,’ hide somewhere and call them once you’re ready (behind a door, in a closet - somewhere out of direct eyesight)

tug of war: let your pet hold a toy in their mouth while you grab on to the other end, and keep pulling until someone wins!

fetch or soccer: toss something for your cat or dog to bring back, or simply see if your pet can catch what you're rolling on the floor

tag: some pets don’t know or care what this one is about, but some of them love to be chased - or to chase you themselves!

fishing pole: with your cat or dog’s toy on a string attached to the end of a stick, jerk the toy back and forth to elicit some hunting behaviours

2. Brain games

Engaging your dog’s or cat’s brain doesn’t have to be as complicated as it may sound: it all comes down to fulfilling their mental needs by providing new experiences, objects, places, and sensations - as we mentioned in our environmental enrichment blog.

youtube

Try challenging your pets by encouraging them to use their head and even their senses:

interactive puzzle toys: toys or puzzle boards (like those from Nina Ottoson) give your pets something to think about

let them sniff new objects: after bringing home groceries, packages, etc. let your pet’s curiosity guide them! Or, just leave a box on the floor; that usually does the trick.

find hidden objects or treats: while your cat or dog waits, hide toys or treats in another room or out of sight, then release them and let them find their hidden treasures

play the cup game: place a toy or treat under a cup, next to a few other of the same type, switch the cups around, and see if your pet can guess where their reward went!

snuffle mats: in a shaggy carpet or specialized snuffle mat, hide treats and let your dog or cat “snuff” them out

3. Make meals fun

Mealtime comes around every day at least once, so why not take advantage of that and turn it into an activity? Offering engagement during meals will not only slow down those cats and dogs who inhale their food in one fell swoop, but may also reinvigorate a picky dog’s or cat’s interest. Best of all, these enriching meals will tire your pets out far faster than feeding them directly out of a bowl.

Doc & Phoebe’s Indoor Hunting Feeder stimulates your cat’s natural hunting needs!

Here are some easy ways to extend mealtime:

use slow feeders or food-dispensing toys: a Kong Wobbler or even a bowl with a few tennis balls placed on top of the food should do the trick

have your pets train for their meals: practice a few cues to slow them down and get their brains ticking

kibble scatter: on a mat or even on the floor, scatter your pet’s kibble and have them search for every piece

feed food in Kongs or other puzzle toys: stuff your washable toys with wet or raw food before feeding for an extra challenge

4. Practice your cues

Training is not only a great way to bond and practice your communication with your cat or dog, but provides a great cognitive workout that satisfies your pet’s mental needs. Spending 10 - 15 minutes a day working on cues is a quick way to use up extra energy: 15 minutes of mental work is equivalent to 1 hour of walking!

There is no limit to what you can do to mentally stimulate your pets, but here are a few ideas to get your started:

sharpen your dog’s obedience: it’s never a bad time to practice cues like sit, down, stay, recall, and your dog’s or cat’s name

sharpen your obedience to your cat: you can never be too obedient to your cat’s needs and wants

teach your cat or dog something new: take out your clicker and teach your pet something fun!

For more inspiration, check out the four most fundamental cues we think your dogs should know.

5. Give them something to work on

There is no substitute for spending time doing something you love, and our pets feel this as well. Giving your cats and dogs ‘projects’ to work on will keep them quiet and happy for a while, but will also fulfill their biological need to chew, rip, graze, and overall, just be a cat or dog in their element.

Some of our favourite ways to let our pets unwind - with supervision - include:

raw recreational bones: beef or bison marrow bones are a go-to favourite!

bully sticks or dehydrated chews: if these don’t last very long with your pets (yes, some cats like to eat them, too!), choose thicker and/or longer chews

stuffed Kongs and other stuffed toys: after filling your toys with food, freeze them to extend the time it takes to finish them

cat grass: leave a bowl out at all times if your cat likes to come and go on their own schedule

6. Spend some one-on-one time with them

As simple as this one sounds, time spent with your dog or cat is an activity that shouldn’t be underestimated, as it elicits feelings of love, trust, and safety in our pets. Bonding opportunities provide outlets for your pet’s social, emotional, and biological needs - and, of course, make you feel better, too!

One-on-one time can be as short or long as you want it to be, but you can never go wrong with:

grooming your pets (as long as your cat or dog likes it!)

spending some time snuggling

giving them a massage

7. Go somewhere pet-friendly

Sometimes, your animals won’t be satisfied with staying indoors, no matter how many activities you provide for them: they want to go out and explore!

Monty and Jasper enjoying cookies and milk at Döghaus

Luckily, there are plenty of places that will allow just that, so long as your cat or dog is well-behaved:

some hardware stores and warehouses allow pets (ask before going)

pay a friend a visit at their home

organise a doggy play date

take a break at a doggy café

come visit us at Döghaus!

join us on Saturday, February 17th for a Pet First Aid Class, hosted by us and brought to you by Walks'N'Wags. For more information and to sign up, click here. Pets are welcome!

Last of all, leave some of your cat’s and dog’s toys accessible throughout the day so that if your pets get bored, they can choose to entertain themselves whenever they want.

And if you have a high energy dog, think about enrolling in doggy daycare or classes during the winter months to help let out some of that energy!

Keeping your dogs and cats happy indoors isn’t as hard as it sounds; all you need is a little bit of time and creativity!

#cats #dogs #productswelove #doghausmtl #doghaus mtl #doghaus montreal #grooming #pet care #environmentalenrichment #Doc & Phoebe #Kong #winter blues

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