A Brief History of the
National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy

The genesis of the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP) goes back to an overpopulation symposium held at UC-Davis in 1991. A veterinarian named Patricia Olsen was in attendance, and she was struck by the overwhelming lack of data pertaining to overpopulation.

Over time, the apparent lack of solid statistical information continued to trouble her, and she eventually decided it was time to "take the bull by the horns." In June, 1992, she called together a broad number of organizations representing two distinct perspectives: a) those in the field of epidemiology with the knowledge and resources to study statistical data; and b) those in the animal-care and protection field with the ability to acquire the necessary pet population statistical data, along with a vested interest in doing so.

This group met again in April, 1993 (in conjunction with HSUS Animal Care EXPO®) and formalized the group of organizations, officially now known of as the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP). The first formal meeting of the NCPPSP was in July, 1993 in Minneapolis, MN (in conjunction with the AVMA's annual convention). The original ten organizational members were:

• American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA)
• American Humane Association (AHA)
• American Kennel Club (AKC) (no longer a member)
• American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)
• Association of Teachers of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine (ATVPHPM) (now the Association for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine)
• American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
• Cat Fanciers Association (CFA)
• The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)
• Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA)
• National Animal Control Association

More recently, the Society of Animal Welfare Administrators (SAWA), American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA), and the American Association of Feline Practitioners have joined the NCPPSP, and the American Kennel Club (AKC) has left the organization.

It was the desire of those involved in the formation of the original coalition for the group to be representative of the field in general, and they therefore found it very important to have the presence of the dog and cat fancy communities reflected within the NCPPSP makeup. And, one overriding principle in the first coalition meetings was for all to agree to "put aside all of our differences, and rally behind our common good," in order to maintain a well-rounded, positive-thinking membership that could look objectively at pet population issues with solutions in mind.

Those involved in these first meetings feel prideful in the joining of the diverse groups and the respectful conduct shown throughout those early days. Sharing the same vision, along with the ability for members to "keep their eyes on the prize" in the development of the NCPPSP's mission and goals helped to keep the peripheral issues off the plate.

Adapted from statements by
NCPPSP Founding Board Members
Tom Dent and Carter Luke
February 14, 2005