Multiagency approaches to animal welfare Flashcards
Why is animal welfare a multiagency approach?
Requires many paraprofessionals working alongside each other
Vets duty to report suspected poor animal welfare
Vets duty to report in good faith, not our job to investigate. There are sections in the code that tell you exactly what to report.
Vet will need to be ready to provide any information that is needed
Can vets get sued?
Vets are protected from lawsuits.
Anything done in good faith for an animal is protected
Animal Care duties
Once responsible for an animal, you must:
- provide food and water
- provide vet care
- provide shelter and protect from heat and cold
- ensure proper health and well-being (adequate space, sanitary conditions, ventilation, lighting, exercise)
Cases and Responsibilities
Not every case is cut and dry. A lot of individuals are not even aware that they took responsibility of an animal. They are just doing what they can to help but don’t feel they have to do more.
Animal Protection Act, 2017
No responsible person shall cause or allow animal’s distress. This does not apply if distress results from an activity that is carried out in accordance with regulations.
Animal Seizures
Taking an animal from person responsible for it often takes time. Owners are given chances to make changes to the animal’s welfare before seizure occurs.
Each situation and animal is different. Property with 40 dogs, and 10 pigs heading to slaughter on Friday. Dogs will be seized but pigs will be given enough care for them to get through until Friday
Where can they enter without a warrant?
- Any APO can enter without a warrant during business hours, to any place where animals are kept for sale, adoption, slaughter, hire, exhibition, services.
- Need a warrant to investigate a private dwelling
Define cruelty
An act of omission, intentional or neglect
Criminal neglect
- Most common form of abuse
- Failure to provide for an animal’s wellbeing (behavioural, mental, physical)
Indicators of abuse
- Mismatch between history and findings
- Pathogenic: repetitive injuries, signs of different signs of healing
- History of multiple animals with injuries or death over time
- often a connection between human and animal abuse. children experiencing abuse will often abuse animals
If something in the history, patient/client behaviour, type of injury or the actual implication of a person raises suspicion of NAI-report
How do I know if it’s cruelty?
- Understand the APA. Definitions of distress, offences
- Know the codes of practice/ tools available to you. Compare observations to accepted practices and use CVMA regulations
- You do not have to know for sure. Can report if the belief is on reasonable grounds. An APO will investigate after report and make a determination
- If in doubt, call and talk to an APO or another vet
Hoarding abuse definitions
- Failure to provide minimal standards for sanitation, space, nutrition, and vet care
- Inability to recognize effects of this failure on the animal, or others in the home
- Obsessive attempts to have a collection of animals in the face of deteriorating conditions
- Denial or minimization of problems and living conditions for people and animals
Mental and physiological health (barriers to support)
human health care providers don’t want much to do with hoarding situations due to high reoccurrence rate. Animals are part of problem, not a symptom. They ignore the risks to the community (zoonosis and environment threats)
APOs more likely to respond for animals.
Types of animal hoarding
- Exploiter
- rescuer
- overwhelmed caregiver
