Dog and Cat Overpopulation

TITLE: DOG AND CAT OVERPOPULATION: LET'S GET INVOLVED

LEVEL: GRADES 3 AND 4

DURATION: SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS

DEVELOPED BY: SHEILA SCHWARTZ, TEACHER, PS 257, BROOKLYN

SCIENCE OBJECTIVE 3:

Encourage a greater respect for the intrinsic value and worth of animals.

UNIT OVERVIEW: The activities in this unit will provide students with understanding concerning the selection, care, training and health of their cat or dog. There will be a focus on overpopulation and abandonment and the need to "control the proliferation of animals which are subsequently abandoned and caused to suffer extreme cruelty" in accordance with New York State Education Law, Section 809. This unit will help students learn facts and develop understanding about available support services that can help families provide better care for companion animals.

Students will come to realize that dogs and cats are dependent on humans to meet their needs, that they must be trained and assisted to live responsibly in the hone and/or community. Students will better understand the tragedy of pet-overpopulation and abandonment and learn how they can actively become involved in actual solutions.

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE I: Students will be able to identify factors which should influence the selection of a family dog or cat.

MOTIVATION: Have students bring in pictures of cats and dogs from books and magazines, as well as photos of their own cat/dog..

AIM: What are the similarities and differences in the needs of specific cats and dogs?

ACTIVITIES:

(Teachers are to chart basic similarities. For example, all pets need food, water, exercise, a clean and safe living environment, safe toys and love.

(Discuss differences between species. For example, cats can be indoor animals only. Cats need a scratching post and a litter box and do not have to be licensed. Dogs need to be walked outdoors on a leash and must be licensed.

(Discuss differences in costs of feeding and veterinary care for dogs and cats, and also differences in food and grooming dependent on the size and breed of animal. (e.g. long-haired dogs and cats may need to be groomed more)

(Discuss differences between the physical needs of various animals (those things necessary to maintain the animal's life) and behavioral needs of various animals (those things necessary to allow the animal to behave naturally, e.g. a scratching post for cats or different amounts of exercise time for different breeds if dogs.)

SUMMARY: The needs of different animals should be considered carefully before selection of a companion dog or cat.

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE II: Students will be able to explain how dogs and cats can be trained to live in the home and/or community.

MOTIVATION: Ask students how cats/dogs might cause damage in the home or community.

AIM: How can cats/dogs be trained to live in the home and/or community?

ACTIVITIES:

• Discuss various problems that pets can potentially cause and possible solutions. For example, there is a need to train cats to use a scratching post instead of the furniture, and a litter box instead of the rug. There is a need to train dogs not to jump on people.

• Discuss how training can help the animal to live safely and happily.

• Discuss the need for human responsibility to:

• walk a dog on a leash rather than allow him/her to run loose,

• provide a clean litter box and a scratching post for a cat,

• provide enough exercise for a cat/dog.

• Discuss ways in which patient, kind training can help the animal, the person, and the community.

• Invite a dog trainer or humane society representative to give a talk or demonstration.

SUMMARY: Training animals can help them to live more safely and happily.

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE III: Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the problems and possible solutions to pet-overpopulation.

MOTIVATION: Ask students to discuss instances when their own cats or dogs had offspring.

AIM: How can people help solve pet-overpopulation?

ACTIVITIES:

(Students are to prepare a survey dealing with pet- overpopulation.

Possible questions:

(1) Did your dog or cat ever give birth? How many kittens or puppies were born?

(2) Is you pet spayed or neutered? Why, or why not?

The survey could be of the cats/dogs of children in the class or in the neighborhood.

Complete the survey and summarize via a chart.

Students should discuss the problem of breeding cats/dogs and finding good homes for all of them.

• Send for research data from humane societies concerning pet-overpopulation. Organizations to contact include ASPCA, 4224 East 92 Street, New York. NY 10128 and Peninsula Humane Society, 12 Airport Boulevard, San Mateo, California 94401.

• Discuss possible consequences of overpopulation, including pet abandonment. strays and euthanasia of animals in shelters.

• Discuss spaying/neutering of pets as a solution to pet- overpopulation. Discuss the expenses involved. Do any local agencies provide free or low-cost services?

SUMMARY: We can help reduce cat and dog overpopulation by having these animals spayed/neutered.

POSSIBLE SCIENCE FAIR PROJECTS

1: Conduct a survey of the number of children in your class who have had their cats/dogs spayed/neutered versus the number of children whose pets have not had this operation. Chart the results. Also chart the placement of offspring the maximum number of offspring possible from the first and second generation of unspayed animals.

Get statistics from local humane societies regarding the number of healthy cats dogs euthanized yearly in your community. Are there any estimates of the number of strays living in this community?

Students will draw conclusions and make recommendations based upon their results.

2: Students will go on a neighborhood walk. They will make drawings or take photographs of neighborhood animals. What are the similarities and differences in the life of these animals, for example the "candy store cat", "the guard dog", cats and dogs that have home and dogs and cats who are strays.

Show data from humane societies on the differences in life

expectancies between cats/dogs that have a home and strays. It would also be interesting to see the differences in life exppectancies between cats kept indoors versus indoor/outdoor cats, as well as dogs walked on a leash versus dogs allowed to run loose.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Anchel, Marjorie, Ph.D., (Editor), Overpopulation of Cats and Dogs,

Fordham University Press, NY, 1990

Flynn, Mary Jane, The Lost and Found Puppy, Storytellers Ink, WA, 1991.

Parish, Peggy, Scruffy, Harper & Row, U.S., 1988.

Saunders, Marshall, Beautiful Joe. Retold by Quinn Currie, Storytellers Ink, WA, 1990.

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