Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-03-12 City Council (24)City of Palo Alto City Manager’s Report TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: POLICE DATE:MARCH 12, 2001 CMR:151:01 SUBJECT:DONATION OF CORNEAS FROM DOGS AND CATS EUTHANIZED AT PALO ALTO ANIMAL SERVICES CENTER FOR CORNEAL TRANSPLANTS This is an informational report and no Council action is required. BACKGROUND Palo Alto Animal Services was approached by a local veterinary ophthalmologist to ask if staff would consider donating corneal tissue from dogs and/or cats that had already been euthanized. According to this specialist, sources of transplant material are extremely hard to find and a great number of animals could benefit from corneal transplants. Organ donor programs are well received in human medicine. The veterinary profession is applying these life-altering practices to the animals they treat. Kidney transplantation in cats . is performed by specialists and it is much the same as kidney transplants in humans. Corneal transplantation is extensively used in human medicine with very successful results. Corneal diseases represent a significant cause of blindness in dogs and cats. In cases where the cornea is damaged by trauma or becomes opaque through formation of deposits or scar tissue, the eye becomes functionally blind although the internal eye structures (lens and retina) are normal. The only option to restore vision in such cases is to replace the opaque cornea with a transplant. Unfortunately, synthetic prosthetics are not successful for this purpose and living donor tissue is required. CMR:151:01 Page 1 of 3 DISCUSSION Animals in the Palo Alto Animal Shelter are evaluated to determine if they can be placed for adoption based on their health and temperament. !f a dog or cat is not a candidate for placement, it is scheduled for humane euthanasia. The transplant program would have no bearing whatsoever on euthanasia selection. Dogs and cats that are scheduled for euthanasia and fit specific criteria could be used as donors. The euthanized animals would be provided to the ophthalmologist, who would remove the corneas and the City’s veterinarian will not be involved in the surgical removal or transplant process. Staff anticipates that no more than six to nine dogs and two to three cats would be used as donors in a year. The need for donors is minimized since a single donor cornea can be used in two to three recipient animals. Euthanasia is a sad and often forgotten by-product of public animal shelters. While the intent has been and will continue to be to provide dogs and cats for adoption, in reality, there are animals that are overtly aggressive or have major health problems and therefore are not suitable for adoption and must be euthanized. Staff received input from the Peninsula Veterinary Medical Association (PVMA) on the program concept. As clarified in its letter (attached), the PVMA unanimously voted to support the program. RESOURCE IMPACT No City funds will be used for this program. POLICY IMPLICATIONS This program is consistent with City policy regarding the health and well being of animals. ATTACHMENTS Letter from Peninsula Veterinary Medical Association, Inc. (PVMA) CMR:151:01 Page 2 of 3 PREPARED BY: DEPARTMENT HEAD: SANDRA STADLER Animal Services Superintendent PATRICK~~ ~~~.~ Chief of Poli~e EMIL~ HARRISON Assistant City Manager CMR:151:01 Page 3 of 3 Peninsula Y¢lcrinary Medical Association, Inc. Peninsula Veterinary Medical Association Q 139 80 N. Cabrill0 Highway Half Moon Bay, CA 94019-1667 August 22, 2000 Sandi. Stadler Animal Services Superintendent City of Palo Alto Animal Services Division 3281 E. Bayshore Road Palo Alto, CA 94303 Dear Ms. Stadler: At our most recent meeting, on July 18, 2000, the Peninsula Veterinary Medical Association (PVMA)unanimously voted to endorse your proposed plan to make donor corneal tissue available to local veterinary ophthalmologists for transplant purposes. Corneal transplantation is extensively used in human medicine, and widely accepted by the public. Corneal disease represents a significant cause of blindness in dogs and cats, and the only option to restore vision in such cases is replacing the damaged cornea with a living donor tissue transplant. A single donor cornea often provides enough tissue to be used in two or three recipient animals. The PVMA strongly supports your efforts to help dogs and cats blinded by corneal disease to regain their vision. Sincerely, ~’ " Sam Lerner, D.V.M. President ¯P.V.M.A.