Australia, today is leading the world in innovative approaches to UAM.
Urban animal management: defining a new agenda
This compendium is an initiative of the Petcare Information and Advisory Service (PIAS).
It has been produced as part of the PIAS' commitment to providing those involved in urban animal management (UAM) with up-to-date information relevant to their needs. In this compendium, all of the work done by this firm since 1991 has been updated, extended and integrated into the one convenient volume. It is our intention to add new research and information on an on-going basis.
The fact that we are talking about planning for domestic pets is still surprising. Only ten years ago it would have been unthinkable. Australia today is leading the world in innovative approaches to UAM, thanks in part to the annual Urban Animal Management Conference, convened by the Australian Veterinary Association, which provides a multi-disciplinary forum to advance the debate.
As we see it, UAM in Australia has passed through three distinct phases.
First, there were the early days of registration and stray dogs - relatively simple problems with clear solutions. All that was necessary was to commit sufficient resources to meet the enforcement task.
From there, the field became more complex as the range of issues expanded. A solution, especially involving enforcement, was not always readily at hand. It culminated in the late 1980s in something of a crisis in the way we viewed the place of dogs and cats in urban areas.
The crisis led in the 1980s to the third phase that began recognising the multi-faceted and sophisticated nature of the approaches now required. Enforcement was still the mainstay, but we now realised that it wouldn't alone lead to lasting voluntary changes in behaviour. It needed to be supplemented by a range of innovative, non-regulatory tools that focus on educating and helping people to be responsible where their pets are concerned. A lot of progress has been made with programs providing advice (on pet selection, animal behaviour etc), education (of owners, their pets and non pet owners) and ideas on good design in both the public and private realms. Increasingly too, UAM actions are being tied to well-thought out objectives and action plans developed through comprehensive Domestic Animals Strategies.
As the new millennium approaches however, it seems we may be entering a new phase of UAM. The wave of high and medium density housing now visible right across Australia may discourage people from owning pets. In the open space sector too, the development of management plans for individual parks is incrementally squeezing free running dogs out of places that were taken for granted only a decade ago. One thing is clear - we now need to start planning for pets in urban areas.
Through all these developments but on a separate plane to policy development, is our accumulating understanding of the benefits of owning pets. From the almost accidental findings of the 1970s to the comprehensive scientific experiments of today, we now have an extensive knowledge of the health and social benefits of pet ownership. Much of this interest has been confined to the academic community, although pets have a history of use in hospital and other therapeutic situations. Barring several encouraging exceptions, in local government, there has been no consideration given to the benefits of owning pets, other than as a backdrop to balancing the enforcement task.
We believe this is an important omission and would like to take the first tentative steps towards defining a new urban animal management that embraces the important positive role that pets can play in cities of the future. It doesn't mean we ignore the conflicts; indeed responsible pet ownership will always be the cornerstone of UAM. But it involves an agenda for local government that is broader than the traditional focus on enforcement and education. The way we see it, the benefits to humans from owning a dog or a cat are precisely those that will be required in cities of the 21st century. Pets are a simple, drug free way to lower stress and improve health. They encourage people to enjoy the outdoors. They have been shown to stimulate conversation between strangers and they improve feelings of safety - both in the home and in public places. And, most importantly, pets are wonderful companions, in some cases helping combat loneliness and social alienation.
These benefits relate to 'livability', a planning buzzword, but nonetheless an important element in the competitive advantage of urban areas. Essentially the term describes how easy, pleasant and amenable it is to live in a particular place and the extent to which its inhabitants can participate in urban life. It has many parameters, only some of which relate to owning pets. However there is no question that pets can make a worthwhile contribution to livable cities.
So what does this mean for UAM and, by implication, for local government? We envisage that the new urban animal management would operate at a number of levels. It involves a commitment to using the most sophisticated approaches available to securing responsible pet ownership. We are already well underway in this regard. It also integrates pets into the planning mainstream on the basis that i) they have much to contribute to livable cities and ii) their owners are a group with legitimate needs that may now be under threat. This is our vision for the long-term future of UAM.
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