Prioritising canine welfare for breeding dogs

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In response to a recent Dogs Australia media release, the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) and the ANZCVS Reproduction Chapter strongly reaffirm the evidence-based health and welfare benefits of performing transcervical artificial insemination (TCI) rather than surgical artificial insemination (SAI) in dogs.

The AVA’s policy on Surgical artificial insemination in dogs (2022) states that ‘surgical AI must not be performed in dogs due to ethical and welfare considerations, given the suitable alternative of TCI’.

The AVA holds significant concerns about the continued defence of surgical AI, given the welfare risks associated with the procedure. Performing surgical AI subjects dogs to unnecessary general anaesthesia, invasive laparotomy, and post-operative pain, as well as the risks of complications such as infection, dehiscence, prolonged recovery, and the formation of abdominal adhesions. Importantly, these poor welfare outcomes can be avoided by using the less invasive method of TCI.

TCI, performed conscious and standing in under 10 minutes by trained operators, eliminates anaesthesia risks and surgical morbidity while achieving equal or superior fertility rates (65-84% pregnancy rates in studies by Mason et al., 2014, and Hollinshead et al., 2017). With failure rates below 1%, TCI ensures humane breeding by reducing procedure risk and minimising animal distress, while still utilising frozen semen to support the introduction of diverse genetics into breeding programs.

The AVA advocates for TCI as the ethical and safe alternative to surgical AI. We promote and support the training of veterinarians in the TCI technique and emphasise the need for greater breeder education on the benefits of TCI. The AVA urges all states and territories in Australia to prohibit surgical AI in dogs through their respective Animal Welfare Acts.