1.
GOOD ANIMAL HUSBANDRY
PRACTICE (GAHP)
IN SMALL ANIMALS AND
AWARENESS OF THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF PET
OWNERS

2.
RESPONSIBLE PET OWNER
Means being responsible for one own pet, as
well as showing consideration towards one’s
neighbours, and community. And
recognizing the “ five freedoms” on the
aspect of animal welfare.

3.
- Freedom from hunger and thirst.
- Freedom from thermal and physical
discomfort.
- Freedom from pain, injury and disease.
- Freedom from undue anxiety.
- Freedom to display most normal patterns
of behavior.

4.
Responsible pet owner would
provide :-
i. Food
• Healthy, clean, fresh, sufficient, well-
balanced compounded feed or self-prepared
to fulfill physiological needs such as protein,
fat, fiber, vitamins and minerals.
• This ensures energy needs and is important
for growth and health of animal.

5.
• Many types of commercially prepared
feeds are available in the market.
- Dry form includes biscuits, pellet and
cubes which are packed in plastic,
paper or attractive container.
- Wet form in the like of fine paste,
coarse mixture which are tinned in
attractive cans.

6.
• The protein requirement is of utmost important for
tissue development and tissue repair. The needs of
protein for dog and cat can be categorised as follows
:-
- Less than 1 year --- protein requirement
30 – 35 %.
- More than 1 year --- protein requirement
25 – 30 %.
- More than 5 years --- protein requirement
less than 25%.

7.
• In general the amount of feed given should
be :-
- Adult dog (Large size) --- 200 – 400 gram
daily fed twice.
- Adult cat --- 20 – 30 gram
daily fed 2 – 7
times or ad lib.

8.
ii. Fresh clean water
• Animal will drink more.
• Milk is an excellent supplement.
• Blended fruits and vegetables are good
source for fibers.
• Flavoured water such as incorporated with
honey or electrolytes in useful in times of
stress or depressed.

9.
iii. Shelter
• Kennel or cattery of suitable sizes, allowing
for good ventilation and protected from direct
draught, rain and sunlight.
• Please refer to a booklet provided on Good
Animal Husbandry Practice for Pets and
Exotic animals for pen sizes.
• Variety of commercially made cages, pen,
houses are available in the market. They are
well and attractively designed and colors, free
fabricated pieces, strong, durable and suitable
for use in cats and dogs. They can be
assembled or dissembled when required to do
so.

10.
The design is such to facilate easy cleaning
and disinfecting purposes.
These houses are made of iron encased with
durable plastic, stainless steel, strong fibers
which are non toxic and would not cause
injury to animals. Many are fitted with
rollers to enable mobility, with shelf or panel
to provide resting or sleeping area.

11.
iv. Good Husbandry care.
• To ensure comfort, animal always healthy and
not exposing to risks of infection.
• Animal management program would include
:-
- Daily cleaning of animal house, pen,
cages, feed and water trough, animal
accessories, feces, fur, food wastes etc
using water, soap, disinfectants so that
they are clean and are protected against
germs and parasites.

12.
• Grooming and cleaning of animals. This include cleaning of
nose, eyes, ears, nail clipping, combing and brushing.
• Bathing of dogs and cat.
For cat, bathing is only done when necessary especially when
the coat is dirty. Cat owner does that one in 1 – 2 week to clean
and comforting the animal. For dog, the owner often bathe the
dog 1 – 2 times a week because of body odor due to high
humidity climate in the country. It is good to bathe cats and
dogs using sponge, warm water together with soap or
shampoo. The animals must be dried well using blower or
sunlight and powdered to prevent matted or entangled fur.

13.
v. Veterinary Health Care
• Health care is important in controlling and
preventing diseases in pet animals.
• Immunization through vaccination is done.
- In cats – the PRIMARY DOSE is given at 9 – 13 weeks.
This is followed with BOOSTER DOSE at
2 – 4 weeks later.
ANNUAL DOSE to be done annually to sustain the
immunity level against that specific diseases.
- In dogs – the FIRST DOSE against Parvoviral to be given
at 4 – 9 weeks old. The PRIMARY DOSE should be
followed at 11 – 13 weeks and to be complemented with
BOOSTER DOSE at 2 – 4 weeks later.
ANNUAL DOSE had to be given annually.

14.
• They are many types of vaccines available in the
market mostly imported from USA, FRANCE and
HOLLAND.

15.
• Parasitic prevention/treatment should be
programmed to combat endoparasites and
ectoparasites.
- Giving anthelminthic in the form of liquid, tablet, paste, powder,
candy etc is necessary to eliminate worms from pets and to prevent
infection to humans via eggs and larva of worms.
- In cats – deworm should start at 6 weeks old. Earlier age
deworming is done if the worm burden is high. This is to be
followed at least one in 3 months. In adult cat, the deworming can
be spaced to at least once in 6 months time.
- However, deworming can be done monthly as the life-cycle of
worms is around 2 – 3 weeks.

16.
- Ectoparasites such as mites, ticks, lice, fleas can be
treated either by injection or bath, spray, drop or
pour-on. They are many available ectoparasites
bath or shampoo in the market.

17.
vi. Elimination access.
- Allow dog to defecate and urinate 3 – 4 times
daily at appropriate place and not in the
public open space or recreational area. Feces
must be collected and disposed of
accordingly.
- For cat, please provide sand litter tray for that
purpose. Cat feces may anger your
neighbour.

18.
vii. Exercise, play, socialization and stimulation.
- Backyard exercise is not enough. This will
effect long bone development as well as
muscular development.
- Exercise could be graded into light for small
and old dogs, medium and heavy for large
breeds and working dogs. The exercise should
be done twice a day. Since cats like to play very
much, they are just allowed to please
themselves. Do not cage the cats if possible.

19.
• Cats and dogs are allowed to play with many toys
and accessories that are available in the market
such as cat scratcher, balls, toys, rubber bone, etc.
• Socialization and stimulation are parts of activities
in the training program to be highlighted later.

20.
viii. Humane treatment and handling
• In handling and restraining of cats and dogs, they
are various comfortable ways depending on the
behavior of the animals such as whether :-
- they are co-operative.
- they are apprehensive.
- they are frightened.
- they are aggressive.
The arts can be learned from an experienced
person or animal trainer.

21.
• However there are various techniques that can be
used in handling and restraining of cats and dogs
such as muzzling, using restrainer, leash, chain,
zipped bag, collapsible cage, wrapped towel,
cardboard and tape.

22.
ix. Training
• This is particularly useful in dogs as cats are
difficult to train.
• Training should commenced as :-
House breaking
- Start immediately. Teach puppy to go
outdoors when he wants to relieve
himself. A concerted effort for 2 weeks,
watching him constantly until
defecation/urination, is better than
sporadic methods that last for months.

23.
Preliminary training
- teach your dog not to bite
- teach your dog not to jump
- teach your dog to lie down
- teach your dog to ride in a car
- teach your dog to walk on leash
This could be achieved through voice command
and body movements as well as with the aid of
training equipments.

24.
Obedience training
• There are 2 types. One is for competition and the
other is simply being obedient. The training is the
same except the degree of perfection is the
determining choice.

25.
Below are some basic exercises that is required in
obedience training that is the foundation for the dog
to go forward in its training.
- Heel
- Sit
- Sit stay
- Down stay
- Stand stay
- Recall
The most important in training a dog is that the
trainee must be consistent and have a lot of
patience.

26.
Responsible pet owner would also :-
• Safeguard one’s dog by leashing it when on public
property.
- To avoid public being chased,
bitten or attack by the dog.
• Safeguard one’s cat by providing suffient
enclosure area or fenced premises.
• Attach identification tags to dog collar together
with the dog licence.
- To avoid loss of animal
- Fulfilling licencing requirement.
Similar identification tag should be put on cat.
• Prevent one’s dog or cat from roaming by safely
confined to one’s property or homes.

27.
Responsible pet owner would also :-
• Consider the many benefits through spaying and
neutering of dogs and cats such as :-
- Prevent prostate and testicular cancer (dogs)
- Prevent pyometra
- Reduce the rate of uterine and breast cancer
- Reduce inter-male aggression (dog)
- Reduce dominance agression towards people (dog)
- Reduces urinary marking/spraying
- Reduces roaming
- Prevents false pregnancies (dog)
- Prevents unwanted litter