Table 11.
Desktop survey of internet websites belonging to 299 urban veterinary practices in the capital cities of six states and two territories of Australia. Initial survey of four states was carried out in 2016 and extended to include other states and territories in 2018.
| State | NSW | VIC | QLD | WA 1. | SA 2. | TAS 3. | ACT 4. | NT | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year of Survey | 2016 | 2016 | 2016 | 2016 | 2018 | 2018 | 2018 | 2018 | |||
| Legislation Years * | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 0 | |||
| Total | % | ||||||||||
| Websites n | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 15 | 24 | 10 | 299 | 100 | |
| Cats | Responses | ||||||||||
| Q1. | Yes | 23 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 23 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 135 | 45.2 |
| n = 299 | No | 27 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 27 | 10 | 18 | 2 | 164 | 54.8 |
| Q2. | Yes | 23 | 20 | 18 | 22 | 23 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 125 | 92.6 |
| n = 135 | No | 0 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 7.4 |
| Dogs | |||||||||||
| Q1. | Yes | 23 | 27 | 26 | 22 | 24 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 141 | 47.2 |
| n = 299 | No | 27 | 23 | 24 | 28 | 26 | 10 | 18 | 2 | 158 | 52.8 |
| Q2. | Yes | 23 | 21 | 24 | 22 | 24 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 132 | 93.6 |
| n = 141 | No | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 6.4 |
| Cats and Dogs | |||||||||||
| Q3. | Yes | 22 | 23 | 17 | 20 | 21 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 116 | 87.2 |
| n = 133 | No | 1 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 17 | 12.8 |
1. From 2013, Western Australia (WA) enforced legislation that all pet cats are to be desexed by six months of age. 2. From 2018, South Australia (SA) will enforce legislation that all pet cats are to be desexed by six months of age. 3. From 2009, Tasmania (TAS) enforced legislation that all pet cats are to be desexed by six months of age. 4. In 2014, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) altered legislation (from 2000) mandating that cats be desexed by three months of age. * Number of years that legislation had been in place in states and territories during the years in which desktop surveys were conducted. NT: Northern Territory. QLD: Queensland. VIC: Victoria. NSW: New South Wales. Q1. Did the website specify a desexing age/age range? Q2. Was the specified desexing age/age range the same for both sexes? Q3. Of the websites that provided a desexing age/age range for both cats and dogs, were the ages the same?