The American Humane Association recently awarded a $25,000 grant to the Alliance for Contraception in Cats and Dogs (ACC&D), a nonprofit organization focused on advancing methods of sterilizing cats and dogs without surgery.
The organization works with veterinarians, animal welfare professionals, scientists, and pharmaceutical companies and will use the funds to advance non-surgical approaches, such as injections, to sterilize pets. Injections would limit the anesthesia, sterile surgical suites, and the recovery time that’s required for spay and neuter surgeries.
“Being able to sterilize pets with a simple injection will vastly improve animal protection organizations’ ability to save lives,” said Marie Belew Wheatley, president and CEO of American Humane.
ACC&D is planning several pilot projects using Neutersol, a chemical sterilization injection for male dogs that is expected to be marketed in the United States by Abbott Animal Health of Abbott Park, Ill., beginning in 2009. The product was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in May 2003 and marketed for two years by Addison Biologicals. It's not been available in the U.S. since 2005.
Although the ACC&D has not yet determined the specific pilot projects that will be funded, the plan is to find out how animal welfare groups can most effectively use the product in the field.
In addition, the organization is looking at the potential of a three-year contraceptive for cats and is establishing a post-doctorate program to explore new technologies.
“We’re excited about the progress we’ve made, but there’s much work left to be done, and we can’t do it alone,” said Joyce Briggs, president of the organization. “Raising awareness and demonstrating demand for non-surgical sterilization are critical to ACC&D’s work.”
For details, visit www.acc-d.org.