Frequently Asked Questions about Animal Birth Control Program:

1. What does ABC stand for?

It stands for 'Animal Birth Control'

2. Why ABC program?

When population of some species needs to be controlled e.g. stray dogs and cats, instead of exterminating them, it is a more humane and effective method of bringing down their population by ABC program.

3. What way is ABC program effective?

A territory can support a particular number of animals with food and shelter available. For example if food in X territory can support Y animals, of which 10 dogs are destroyed and number comes down to Y-10, within a couple of months the survival of weaker dogs improves with availability of more food or new dogs from nearby territories enter the vacuum, and the number comes back to Y. So territory X does not see any result at all. 

4. In the same example, what happens when ABC program is adopted?

If 10 dogs are withdrawn, spayed / neutered, and released back into the same territory, they will continue to live there happily for the rest of their lives without breeding, and prevent new dogs from entering into that territory. So the population of dogs first stabilises and then starts declining.

5. Is it cruel to spay / neuter a dog?

Not at all! Animals proliferate because of instincts and due to hormonal changes in their bodies. If the hormone production is stopped, they lose their instinct to breed. 

6. Are the male dogs unhappy because they cannot mate?

Not at all!!  In fact they are happier because there is no fighting over a female on heat, so no injuries and no stress. They lead a peaceful life thereafter.

7. In case of female dogs, is it necessary that she should get her first heat and bear puppies before she is spayed?

A female dog can be spayed even before her first heat, when she is 7 to 8 months old.  It does not affect her health in any manner.

8. Do the dogs lose their ability to protect their territories after ABC?

No they don't!  Their instincts to protect their territories or guard the people and property around them, does not diminish at all.

9. How does one know identify a sterilized dog?

Soon after surgery while still under anaesthesia, the left ear of the dog is clipped in a V shape by cauterization, so that from a distance one can identify a sterilized dog by seeing his or her notched ear.

10. What is the CNVR procedure?

It stands for 'Catch, Neuter, Vaccinate, Release', and is a technique being followed by which the operated dogs are released back into their territories soon after surgery. Soluble sutures are used and instead of keeping them institutionalised, they are happy in their own territories and hence recover faster.

11. Does IDA India follow the traditional method of ABC or the CNVR procedure?

If volunteers are there to keep a check on dogs that go back to the street, CNVR procedure is adopted, but if dogs have no guardians, the traditional method is followed, so that they go back after we have ensured their full recovery.

12. Are sterilized dogs vaccinated before release?

Yes, sterilized dogs are de-wormed and vaccinated against rabies before they are released.