I wonder.

[britishbandit]

Ok, I've been thinking about this. In some countries (at least going by what dog owners from those countries say), spaying and neutering their pets is not an option, even illegal to do so.

Despite this, these countries don't have (recorded anyway) the overpopulation problem of dogs comapred to our countries that do allow and promote spay and neuter.

Why is that do you think? Is it just that their stats aren't accurate? Is it because they don't have as many shelters and animal control officers to actually have a good comparison to go by? Or is it really because the people in these countries don't see breeding as a way to "make money" (trying to gear to consumer "demand") like it is commonly found here?

Wow, I seem to think "out loud" a lot.....and another thing, I'm definately not bashing S/N, I think it's a WONDERFUL thing! Not to be confused with the question.

[Rivsky]

I think you are right with a lot of the points you raised - like inaccurate records etc.

Mainly though I think that it's because pet ownership isn't so popular in itself in some of these countries - so less people have and want dogs/cats than in countries such as the US and Australia.

Because of this it is highly unlikely that Governments of these countries are going to support shelters financially - animal welfare probably just isn't high on their agenda.

Just my thoughts - hope they made sense!

[TinyAlbinoDancer]

In many of those countries they don't even have vets to do the surgeries because, as was said, pet ownership just isn't that big of a deal. And because it isn't and there isn't vet care, dogs die alot more often. They're more likely to be roaming around, getting in fights, out in inclement weather, inadequately fed/improper nutrition, and suffer from external/internal parasites and the like. Here we just take them to the vet and get them treated, there the dogs die from it. Like you said as well, there aren't people breeding because there's no demand, and the puppies from all the breeding going on don't always survive because of the conditions they're born into. So death of the dogs over there is the main reason they don't have an overpopulation problem, I'd say.

[Cassiepeia]

Yeah I think it's just because those countries don't have the same view of 'pets' that we do. They don't have the obsession, therefore they don't have the population (or the vet care).

Cass.

[D.Schäferhund]

Well pets are luxury!!

so there it is, we keep it in overflow bwcause we can. and countryes that provide enough room and food for the dogs will have a lot of them, too.
They can survive because we throw so much away!

In other countries, it is mostly about survival. some people don't have enough to eat, no scraps really to feed the dogs.. so life is harder... for both humans and dogs.

and they breed as they please, but pups don't get brought up if they wouldn't make it , like here we try to keep everything alive!

Yeah there are strays, but I think it balances out, food area and population.
In all the "rich" countries there is too much of everything...

jus my thoughts on that!

[Cassiepeia]

In all the "rich" countries there is too much of everything...

So true.

Cass.