The capacity of shelters for abandoned animals in Montenegro is often insufficient for the number of animals housed there, and when boxes and shelters are overcrowded, this means a possible outbreak of disease, difficulty in controlling its spread, and the possible emergence of an epidemic.
In most shelters in Montenegro, rehabilitation measures are being implemented, but all too often, inadequate means or methods are used.
By applying clear rules and defining clear protocols, with trained and informed staff, it is possible to minimize the occurrence of major outbreaks of disease and their development into epidemics in shelters.
This, among other things, was said by Dr. Vet in an interview with "Vijesti". Milan Rogošić, author of the “Manual for Sanitation and Epidemic Management in Shelters for Abandoned Animals,” which was recently published by the Animal Protection Council, of which Rogošić is a member.
The plan is to distribute the Handbook to shelters, animal protection NGOs and veterinarians.
"Some have already contacted us and collected their copies at the premises of the Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Administration. However, the distribution of the manual to everyone who is interested in this topic is yet to come," said Rogošić.
The Manual covers topics such as population management in shelters, sanitation and pest control, vaccination and immunization, and outbreak control. The manual, the author explains, has been reviewed and further edited by Professor Dr. Milutin Djordjevic, Head of the Department of Animal Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, and M.Sc. Miodrag Rajković, Dr. Vet. spec., founder and long-time head of the sanitation service at the Specialist Veterinary Institute in Kraljevo...
What is the role of proper recording and monitoring of the population in shelters?
In order to effectively manage an epidemic after its outbreak, or to prevent its occurrence, it is necessary to have quality data. Data, its quality and credibility, are the foundation that must be met before anything else can be upgraded in terms of the functionality of a system, in this case shelters and the management of epidemics within them.
Population management is actually an active process of planning, daily monitoring and evaluation of conditions and needs, as well as an effective response to changing circumstances. Continuous recording of the animal population in shelters is a necessary component of the population management plan in accordance with the national plan. The records must include daily and monthly admissions of individuals and outcomes (deregistrations: adoption, return to owner, etc.). For optimal management of the animal population in a shelter, daily recording (entry and exit) is necessary to ensure the accuracy of the collected data, and thus facilitate the assessment of shelter capacity, its occupancy and workload.
Do shelters in Montenegro have sufficient capacity (for the number of dogs cared for there)?
As for the situation on the ground, capacities are definitely often insufficient, the boxes in such cases, as well as the shelters as a whole, can become overcrowded, and this, in addition to making it difficult to keep records and gain insight into the situation, also brings unfavorable circumstances for the outbreak of disease, making it difficult to control its spread and the occurrence of epidemics. Each shelter has a planned capacity for care and the number of individuals it cares for, and it must not exceed that level. There are many ways to maintain the population size within the shelter's capacity. Population management is one of the foundations of the health and welfare of animals in the shelter and must be based on an understanding of the limitations of the shelter's capacity. When the population size exceeds the shelter's capacity, the standards for housing and care become unenforceable.
What are the possible problems if the number of dogs exceeds the shelter's capacity?
Operating beyond the capacity of a shelter is an unacceptable practice, from an animal welfare and health perspective. Shelters should maintain their population below maximum housing capacity, so that they can respond to a variety of daily challenges and emergencies.
Overcrowding is one of the greatest stressors for animals in shelters, increasing the number and level of various stressors in the shelter, including noise, air pollutants, and infectious agents, and compromising the health and well-being of the population, increasing the risk of serious disease outbreaks. Overcrowding of animals in a shelter significantly increases the possibility of the emergence and spread of infectious diseases through direct contact.
This manual is more intended for the health care of animals in shelters, so these chapters are presented in basic outlines. If necessary, I will make myself available to elaborate on them in more detail.
What is the role of sanitation, what has it looked like in practice so far, and what are the key, anticipated changes in behavior?
Sanitation is the process of cleaning, sanitizing, disinfecting, and deodorizing areas and surfaces. In order for a shelter to function successfully, it is essential to have a clean and healthy environment for animals and employees. Hygiene and sanitation are an integral part of the successful functioning of a shelter and the humane treatment of animals within it.
Cleaning, washing and disinfection reduce the occurrence and spread of pathogens among animals and shelter staff. The benefit of properly implementing cleaning, washing and disinfection of shelters brings an increased level of health and animal welfare protection and contributes to a more positive image of the shelter in the public. Properly defined sanitation and pest control protocols are an essential part of preventive health care and the successful functioning of the shelter.
Although these measures are generally implemented to some extent in most shelters, are too often carried out using inadequate means or methods that are not optimally effective. Therefore, for their successful implementation and raising awareness of their importance, it is necessary to provide continuous education and training of staff, management and volunteers, with the aim of professional training in the management of sanitation processes and pest control. This would mean that the key envisaged changes in behavior include better training, higher awareness, and more purposeful implementation of daily sanitation procedures in shelters, by management, employees and volunteers.
The role of vaccination and immunization, what is the immune status of animals arriving at shelters and why is it important, for those dogs, but also others, those in the shelter or on the streets (if a dog from the shelter returns to the street)?
Precisely because we are talking about shelters, the importance of vaccination and immunization is enormous, crucial, considering that shelters are mostly visited by animals of unknown origin and history, and therefore of unknown vaccination and immunization status. In most shelters, animals are admitted daily, potentially carrying infectious diseases with them, excreting them and spreading them to a new environment. Many of these animals, at best, have an unknown history of disease and often have had negligible or no preventive protection. The frequent arrival, especially of vulnerable puppies and kittens, creates an additional opportunity for the emergence of an epidemic. Therefore, the formation of immunity in each individual animal in the shelter, whether it remains in the shelter or is returned to the street, is crucial in protecting animals from infectious diseases and breaking the chain of transmission.
Therefore, vaccination is an essential component of preventive health management programs for animal shelters. Effective vaccination programs, combined with good housing practices that minimize stress and reduce the risk of pathogen exposure, help animals stay healthy or together successfully reduce the severity of clinical disease manifestations.
The high risk of disease exposure in shelters requires a robust vaccination program that not only protects each animal, but also the population as a whole. What works best for individual animals in lower-risk household settings is not ideal for the high-risk conditions of shelters. This is why vaccination protocols in shelters differ from regular vaccination protocols for household pets.
Overcrowding is one of the greatest stressors for animals in shelters, increasing the number and level of various stressors in the shelter, including noise, air pollutants, and infectious agents, and compromising the health and well-being of the population, increasing the risk of serious disease outbreaks. Overcrowding of animals in shelters significantly increases the possibility of the occurrence and spread of infectious diseases through direct contact
Are those who manage shelters allocating enough for all these needs listed in the Manual and does implementing the recommendations cost extra?
Personally, I have not had any insight into the amounts used to finance shelters, so it is difficult for me to say whether enough is being allocated. However, in conversations with people, volunteers, etc., I would say that it is not quite enough even for the current forms of functioning.
Of course, not everything can be seen in black or white, especially in terms of the application of this Manual. The reason for this is that, although it is very likely to increase costs during implementation, on the other hand it reduces the costs of treating animals during outbreaks of major infectious diseases, because they are prevented precisely by applying the protocols in the Manual.
Also, a shelter that functions better, that conveys the image of a sanitary, hygienically satisfactory environment for animals and the people who work and volunteer there, instills additional trust in citizens, creates a better image in the public, and therefore attracts other alternative ways of financing, such as donations from satisfied citizens.
Is it possible to influence the occurrence of diseases and outbreaks of epidemics in shelters, and how? What is the practice in the region and globally?
Yes, it is possible. By applying clearly written rules, presented in this manual and defining clear protocols, with trained and informed staff, it is absolutely possible to minimize the occurrence of major outbreaks of disease and their development into epidemics.
When it comes to the region, having come up with the idea of developing a protocol of this type, I contacted several colleagues from the region who are professionally involved in animal shelters and I have not come across any information that a manual of this type has been developed and implemented in the region. Of course, I leave room for the possibility that I missed the information, and this manual will be available for use, free of charge, to all interested shelters in the region, colleagues and other persons.
Globally, the story of shelters is more developed in certain countries, and in such countries it is to be expected that these types of manuals have been developed and implemented, and I used some of them as basic literature for the development of this one.
What are the basic methods of controlling an outbreak and can shelters adhere to them, in terms of the necessary knowledge of employees and the finances at their disposal?
Planning before an outbreak can greatly improve the ability to control the spread of disease, minimize mortality, and protect the organization's reputation. Exploring diagnostic options, identifying housing options for exposed animals outside the shelter or designing on-site isolation and quarantine facilities, creating contact lists, and preparing a general communications plan are all things that are better done before an outbreak occurs.
Despite the best-laid plans, occasional outbreaks are still a reality for many shelters. Even the definition of an “outbreak” can vary from shelter to shelter. For some, the mere occurrence or spread of a serious illness is considered unacceptable, while for others, where serious illnesses are so common that the term “outbreak” cannot be used until extensive spread within the shelter is observed.
Regardless of the definition or cause, outbreak management involves six main principles: diagnosis and isolation of diseased animals; identification and control of animals exposed to the pathogen, or animals at risk; decontamination of the environment; protection of new animals admitted to the shelter; documentation, accurate record keeping and communication with staff, stakeholders, adopters and the public.
Although the principles are listed in some order, in reality they often have to be achieved virtually simultaneously, as new, vulnerable animals continue to arrive throughout the day in most shelters and need to be protected.
The rabies vaccine is not sufficient protection
In addition to the rabies vaccine, what other vaccines should animals in shelters receive?
The vaccines that every dog or cat should receive, upon admission and during their stay in the shelter, are called “core” vaccines, or basic vaccines. These are those vaccines that, in terms of protecting the health of animals in shelters, must be part of the protocol, or imposed as “mandatory”. I put mandatory in quotation marks, because in this sense, the legislation recognizes and regulates only the rabies vaccine, as a one hundred percent lethal disease of all warm-blooded organisms.
When we talk about other "core" vaccines for dogs and cats, in dogs these are vaccines against distemper/puppy disease, adeno, parvo and parainfluenza viruses (it is actually one vaccine with all four valences), and to this "core" vaccine, it is desirable to add a nasal vaccine against bordetella, which is often combined with a vaccine against parainfluenza or adenovirus. In cats, "core" vaccines can be considered vaccines against parvovirus, calicivirus and herpes virus type 1.
Bonus video:
