The current situation and issues surrounding the culling of dogs and cats

Have you ever thought about the "euthanasia" of dogs and cats? In fact, many dogs and cats are euthanized at public health centers in Japan every year.

Euthanasia is a serious social issue related to pets. It's a topic that's been appearing in the news recently, but what can be done to reduce the number of dogs and cats who are put down and end up suffering?

In this article, we'll discuss the current state of euthanasia and the challenges Japan faces regarding animal euthanasia.

Current Status of Animal Culling

【Current Status of Animal Culling】32,743 in 2019

First, let's look at how many animals are being culled.

According to the Ministry of the Environment's "Status of Collection of Dogs and Cats, and Confinement and Disposal of Injured Animals, etc. (Compiled from the Summary of Administrative Affairs for Animal Welfare Management)," the total number of dogs and cats euthanized in fiscal year 2019 was 32,743. This breaks down into 5,635 dogs and 27,108 cats.

By simple calculation, that means approximately 90 dogs and cats are euthanized every day.Many people may feel that a significant number of dogs and cats are being euthanized. However, the number of euthanasia cases has been decreasing significantly over the past decade.

Let's look at the number of animals euthanized in the past. For example, ten years ago, in fiscal year 2009, the total number of animals euthanized was 229,832. This included 64,061 dogs and 165,771 cats. By comparison, we can see that the total number has decreased to about one-seventh, the number of dogs euthanized to less than one-tenth, and the number of cats euthanized to less than one-fifth.

【Current Status of the Number of Animals Euthanized】Why Has the Number of Animals Euthanized Decreased?

So, why is the number of animals euthanized decreasing? First, it's likely that the number of pets has increased as private organizations, such as animal welfare groups and nonprofit organizations, have begun taking in pets on behalf of public health centers. As a result, the number of pets taken in by public health centers has decreased, leading to a decrease in the number of pets euthanized.

Furthermore, the Animal Welfare Act was revised in 2012. This law also mentions the "responsibility to care for pets until the end." This allows public health centers to refuse unsolicited requests to take in pets for reasons such as "I no longer find them cute" or "I have to give them up because I'm moving."

Although the number of pets euthanized has decreased significantly, considering that 30,000 euthanasias still occur annually, there seems to be much work to be done.

Target of culling

Let's take a look at animals that are subject to euthanasia and are available for adoption.

As mentioned above, while some dogs and cats are adopted from homes, the majority of dogs and cats adopted are ownerless.

For example, of the dogs adopted in 2019, approximately 10% were adopted from their owners, while 89% were ownerless. This means that the vast majority of dogs are ownerless. The same is true for cats, with only 20% being adopted from their owners and 80% being ownerless, a significant difference. Owners rarely bring them to public health centers.

Dogs and cats with unknown owners include lost and abandoned dogs and cats. So what can we do to prevent these dogs and cats from meeting the tragic end of euthanasia?

[Cuelling Targets] Let's Reduce the Number of Ownerless Dogs and Cats

There are several reasons for the increase in ownerless, or stray, dogs and cats.

The first is the issue of food. Feeding stray dogs and cats is not a good thing, considering the consequences. If they receive food, they expect to receive more, and will gather in that area. As a result, they breed and their numbers increase. Feeding stray dogs and cats actually increases the number of unhappy stray dogs and cats.

The proliferation of stray dogs and cats also causes various harm. Pets are attacked, fields and property are destroyed, and carcasses must be disposed of. The accumulation of these harms often leads to stray dogs and cats being taken to public health centers.

Never feed stray dogs and cats.

The second problem is pregnancy. Spaying and neutering is essential even for pet dogs and cats. Male dogs and cats cannot become pregnant, so neutering may not be necessary. However, they may seek mates and repeatedly breed outside the home during their heat cycle. Puppies and kittens that cannot be cared for will eventually be taken in by the animal shelter.

Spaying and neutering both male and female pets is recommended.

The third issue is the problem of abandoned dogs and cats. Dogs and cats that are abandoned because they cannot be bought for some reason become strays, causing damage to the local area and even causing repeated breeding, increasing their population. They become a nuisance to local residents.

If you can't responsibly care for a pet until the end, give up on keeping one.

【Culling Targets】Why Are So Many Cats Euthanized?

Now, as many of you may have noticed when looking at the number of euthanasias, the number of cats euthanized is more than twice the number of dogs euthanized.

One of the reasons for the high number of cats euthanized is the large number of stray cats. In Japan, stray dogs are always captured due to the Rabies Prevention Law. Cats are different. In some places, the sight of stray cats is commonplace. They feed, breed, and exponentially increase their numbers. Cats easily become pregnant, and they give birth to around five kittens at a time, so they reproduce quickly.

To reduce the sad and painful experiences of cats, we must adhere to basic principles, such as thorough spay/neuter surgery and not feeding them.

Japan's Future Challenges Regarding Culling

The problem of culling is deep-rooted and serious. Although the number of culls is decreasing year by year, what can be done to further reduce the number of culls?

To reduce the number of dogs and cats euthanized, we need to make two efforts work: reducing the number of dogs and cats being taken in and finding new homes for them.

Efforts to Reduce the Number of Dogs and Cats Taken in

○ People who own or are considering buying a dog or cat:
・Make sure to take good care of them until the very end.
・Make sure they don't become lost.
・Spay or neuter them.

○ What you can do about stray dogs and cats:
・Never feed them.

〇 Efforts to find new homes for surrendered dogs and cats
・The government will collaborate with private organizations to promote activities such as adoption events.
・People wishing to adopt dogs and cats should consider adopting at adoption events in addition to purchasing from pet shops.

Euthanization is not just an issue for people who give up their dogs and cats. It also concerns those who are considering adopting a dog or cat, as well as those who do not own a dog or cat.

This is an issue that should be considered throughout Japan, so that fewer dogs and cats suffer unhappy lives, and so that even if they are adopted by public health centers, as many as possible can find new homes. I'm sure it will attract even more public attention in the future. I hope each of us can do what we can to move things in a positive direction.