THE BRITISH COLUMBIA
SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
POSITION STATEMENT
COMPANION ANIMAL OVERPOPULATION
As a result of overpopulation, thousands of companion animals suffer each year in British
Columbia. The vision of the BC SPCA is for every companion animal born in B.C. to have a home
and be part of a family, where guardians value their animals and provide them with knowledgeable
care in accordance with the Five Freedoms of animal welfare. The BC SPCA supports the use of
multi-faceted strategies to identify and address the root causes of companion animal
overpopulation, including the spaying and neutering of cats, dogs and rabbits by licensed
veterinarians.
Approved by the Board of Directors – February 2015
(replaces Pet Overpopulation, January 1996)
BACKGROUND
The Society employs a number of strategies to address companion animal overpopulation:
1. Developing communication, education and advocacy messaging that works towards a shift
in cultural attitudes;
2. Maintaining low-cost spay and neuter clinics and programs;
3. Promoting and supporting trap-neuter-return initiatives for feral cats;
4. Encouraging municipalities to enact bylaws that are designed to deter companion animal
breeding likely to compromise their welfare;
5. Sterilizing all animals that are adopted to the community from BC SPCA facilities; and,
6. Supporting research around the efficacy and broad application of contraceptive
technologies in Canada, and promoting commercial development for non-surgical
sterilization methods.
Companion animal overpopulation is a community-specific problem across B.C. Each community
in the province has historically taken a different approach to animal care and control with differing
results. Species-specific approaches, particularly the emphasis on dog control over cat control,
have resulted in species-specific problems. Communities without adequate information, bylaws
and enforcement around containing and sterilizing animals continue to struggle with indiscriminate
breeding.
The indiscriminate breeding of companion animals leads to overpopulation: too many animals and
not enough homes. Animals are brought in to animal shelters that quickly fill to maximum capacity.
Lack of access to, or full, animal shelters can lead to abandonment. Abandoned companion
animals can suffer from lack of shelter, starvation, frostbite, disease, parasites and wildlife
predation and are subject to abuse from the human population. Abandoned companion animals
also predate on wildlife, resulting in the suffering of these animals and their orphaned offspring,
while contributing to a decline in wildlife populations.
Background updated – February 2015
DEFINITIONS
Companion animals: Domesticated animals who have been selectively bred to live and thrive in
mutually beneficial relationships with humans and who are kept primarily for the purpose of
companionship.
Feral cat: An ownerless cat born out of captivity, without human socialization.
Five Freedoms: A concept first developed by The Brambell Committee, formed by the UK
government to examine the conditions on commercial farms. Now internationally recognized, the
Five Freedoms are considered applicable to all animals.
The BC SPCA's Five Freedoms (adapted from the original list) are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Freedom from hunger and thirst
Freedom from pain, injury, and disease
Freedom from distress
Freedom from discomfort
Freedom to express behaviours that promote well-being.
The BC SPCA's Five Freedoms form the basis of the Society’s Charter and describe conditions
that must be fulfilled in order to prevent the suffering of all animals in human care. The Society
acknowledges that these freedoms are not enforceable and that absolute provision of these
freedoms may not be possible, but strongly encourages all animal guardians to strive to provide
them.
Guardian: A person or organization that is primarily responsible for the welfare, care and
management of an animal. An owner may be referred to as a guardian, but the term guardian is
preferred in order to express that the relationship is one of responsibility for the care of an animal,
not just ownership of property.
Suffering: An enduring negative affective state. Suffering is associated with feelings such as pain,
hunger, fear and anxiety. All sentient beings are capable of suffering.
Welfare: An animal’s quality of life. An animal’s welfare depends upon both his/her physical health
and affective state.
Animals experience good welfare when they are able to experience positive feelings arising from
pleasurable activities and the fulfillment of behavioural needs, and when they are free from poor
physical health and negative feelings (e.g., pain, discomfort, hunger, thirst, fear and frustration).