Executive director of the New Zealand SPCA Bob Kerridge told TV ONE’s Breakfast that the number of pet turned in since last year is up almost 10% most of which are unwanted puppies and kittens that were totally preventable. The decision has been made to stop trying to convince owners to spay or neuter their animals and instead focus on city councils to help fund spay and neuter operations especially for their low income families. People who when the turn in the puppies or kittens are saying they would spay or neuter their animals but they cannot afford the cost of the surgery.
In New Zealand city councils when it comes to dogs operate under a provision called Dog Control Act, they are able to provide their own legislation when it comes to their canine residents, they can create their own own by-laws and set their fees for dog licenses. The SPCA is going to target them and ask them to further reduce the cost of licenses for de-sexed animals as a reward for those who do so and keep the renewal fees low for the entire life of the dog.
SPCA chief executive Robyn Kippenberger said it is a community problem and needs a community solution especially given the current state of the economy which leaves even less money then usual for low income families to do what they know the should do for their pets. That is why they came up with this reward based system instead of telling people to do something they are providing a reward.
“SPCA centers provide a vital community service, they should not be a dumping ground for unwanted animals whose existence could have been easily prevented by a relatively inexpensive operation”. Kippenberger said to TVNZ News.
In fact Dunedin City Council has gone above this idea and decided to provide an annual fund that dog owners who hold community services cards can access to help pay for de-sexing their pets. It then offers a discount on registration for the rest of that dog’s life. The hope is that in the not too distant future there are no unwanted litters with puppies and kittens being dumped on local shelters in their Council area.
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