Sterilise your pets to save heavy expenses
One litter of puppies or kittens can end up costing an owner more than the price of a spaying or neutering.
According to the Boksburg SPCA manager, Maggie Mudd, the cost of feeding the mother correctly to ensure that she is in the best condition to look after her litter, the cost of feeding the young a correct diet when they are weaned, the first vaccinations and deworming that they should be receiving before leaving to go to their new homes – all cost money.
What’s more, the cost of medical complications from not having a pet sterilised can be very high.
Look at the following points as examples:
• Unsterilised pets are more prone to escaping from properties to roam the streets looking for mates.
• These animals can get into fights, which could lead to veterinary costs.
• They can be hit by cars and either killed or injured, which could also lead to veterinary costs.
• Unsterilised pets are more likely to develop mammary, prostatic and other forms of cancers – this also leads to veterinary costs – and many animals do not survive these diseases.
Then, if you look at the responsible homing of the puppies and kittens, it is clear that there are simply not enough good homes available for all the puppies and kittens being born.
And selling them to pet shops is not the answer.
The SPCA is saturated with an excess of domestic animals and allowing pets to breed is not only being really irresponsible but leads to the continuation of the tragic cycle of more unwanted births.
“So, please be a responsible owner of your pet and get him or her sterilised – if you cannot afford to have this done at a private veterinary clinic, please come into the Boksburg SPCA and complete an alimony form (this is a type of ‘means test’ and asks about your income and expenditure).
“From this it can be worked out if we are able to assist owners with a reduced sterilisation fee,” said Maggie.
“Your pets are depending on you to help them as they cannot prevent themselves from falling pregnant – yet we hear time and time again at the SPCA remarks like: ‘She keeps on having kittens’.
“She cannot help it but pet owners can – so be a responsible owner and have your animal sterilised and at the same time save yourself future expenses.”
The Boksburg SPCA may be contacted on 011 916 5906/7 Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4pm and Saturday mornings from 8.30am to noon.
