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10/05/2011 - Help reduce the number of unwanted animals today!
We like to consider ourselves a nation of animal lovers. So why are so many animals finding themselves without the safety and security of a loving home?
Every year, 2,000 animals make their way through the doors of Bristol Dogs and Cats Home. Many of these animals are struggling to find new homes despite the fact that they would make loving, loyal pets.
Mandy Stone, Veterinary Manager at the RSPCA Bristol Clinic said “Over the last couple of years it’s been a real strain to cope the numbers of unwanted animals coming into the Clinic and the Dogs and Cats Home, and the Charity's resources have been stretched to the limit.”
The RSPCA Bristol Branch and Bristol Dogs and Cats Home have always encouraged the public to get their pets neutered to avoid unwanted pregnancies and reduce the number of unwanted animals in the region, but now the message has to be even more loud and clear.
Mandy continued, “We are literally pleading with people to get their animals neutered – it’s the only way they can make sure they are not contributing to the problem. There really is no good reason to let an animal have a litter when there are already way too many animals needing homes. Neutering also has significant health and behavioural benefits to pets, so it is the kind and sensible decision to make from every perspective.”
Neutered pets are generally more friendly, more settled and much easier to care for. Neutering will prevent females from having unwanted litters and it will make male pets less likely to roam, fight and injure themselves. Neutering also protects against some common disease problems, such as pyometra (infection of the uterus), mammary tumours, false pregnancy and prostate disease.
Each animal at the Bristol Dogs Home will be vaccinated, microchipped (cats & dogs) and neutered before they are rehomed. The Clinic also offers a subsidised neutering scheme to pets whose owners are living on a low income. In the last 3 years the RSPCA Bristol Clinic has neutered nearly 4,100 animals, the number increasing each year.
Lynn Gilman, Manager of Bristol Dogs and Cats Home said, “We often take in animals that are the result of unwanted pregnancies. Just recently we received a litter of baby bunnies that were dumped in a cardboard box and the Clinic is currently caring for a heavily pregnant, one year old cat - Lily was sadly abandoned by her owner who could no longer cope. By neutering your pet, you can help us tackle the companion animal overpopulation problem by preventing these unwanted pregnancies.”
RSPCA Bristol Branch is made up of the RSPCA Bristol Animal Clinic and Bristol Dogs and Cats Home. Together they give thousands of local animals in need a second chance for a happy life, free from pain or neglect.
With so many animals to care for the charity’s annual running costs exceed £1.6 million. Both the RSPCA Clinic and the Dogs & Cats Home are independent from the National RSPCA and receives no funding from the National Charity, Government or the Lottery. We therefore rely on the support from the community through donations, legacies and fundraising events to continue our important work
For more information about neutering, please contact your local vet or visit our neutering pages.
