Who’s for cats? We are.

 

Who's for cats?

From 1 March to 12 April 2010, The Lost Dogs' Home will desex and microchip ‘semi-owned’ cats for a heavily discounted fee as part of the “Who’s for cats?” animal welfare campaign.

Victoria has an estimated stray and feral cat population of over half a million.

Animal welfare experts are concerned at the number of kittens being born into lives of severe disease, neglect and starvation every year particularly in urban areas such as metropolitan Melbourne.

Unowned cats suffer from extremely poor health and have a short average life expectancy of around two to three years.

Malnutrition and diseases such as cat flu, cat bite abscesses, heavy flea infestations and feline AIDS are common in unowned cats. They may also be hit by cars and seriously injured or killed. This is unacceptable from an animal welfare perspective.

Semi-owned cats differ from unowned cats in that they are fed by caring people and may be friendlier to humans. However these semi-owned cats suffer the same illnesses, accidents and outcomes as unowned cats and it is recommended that:

•    Semi-owned cats are adopted by the feeder if the person is willing to take full ownership by having the cat desexed and microchipped, or
•    These cats are taken to the local animal pound/shelter to be assessed for possible adoption by a new owner.

As part of “Who’s for cats?”, The Lost Dogs' Home in conjunction with the RSPCA Victoria, Cat Protection Society, Lort Smith Animal Hospital and Animal Aid will desex and microchip a ‘semi-owned’ cat at the discounted fee of $85 ($65 for pensioners/ Healthcare card holders) for people who are willing to take full ownership of semi-owned cats.

This represents a discount of up to 40% off the normal cost of desexing at The Lost Dogs' Home.

Recent research has found that a large number of ‘semi cat owners’ are also likely to own other cats. People believe they are doing the right thing by feeding strays. In fact, they are worsening the problem by ensuring the production of more unowned and unwanted kittens.

In order to reduce the number of kittens born onto the streets, the coalition of animal welfare organisations is calling on the residents of Victoria to ‘stop feeding a bigger problem’ and take full ownership of the stray cats they are feeding by having them desexed and microchipped. This offer will be current from 1 March to 12 April 2010.

Bookings are essential and the offer will be open to the first 100 applicants at The Lost Dogs' Home. Please call the Home’s Clinic on 9329 2755 (PROMPT #2) if you think you qualify as a semi-owner. Semi-owners must complete an application form to qualify for this special offer.