Apart from saving countless lives from possible future cruelty, a sterilised pet is a much happier animal than an unsterilised one.
This is according to the Boksburg SPCA.
According to Maggie Mudd, Boksburg SPCA manager, female cats and dogs that are not sterilised are in danger of falling pregnant with unwanted and unplanned litters.
“Female kittens of four to five months can go into heat and fall pregnant and we then have the very sad situation of kittens having kittens,” said Mudd.
“Each time a female cat or dog has a ‘season’ they increase their chances of contracting mammary cancer.
“Female cats especially are a serious problem when not sterilised and this can be seen by the sheer number of feral cats in and around our towns.
“These cats give birth to kittens that, in turn, grow up to repeat the vicious cycle,” Mudd said.
- So what to do
Ensure you are a responsible pet owner and take your pet (male or female) to be sterilised.
“If you are unable to afford to have this procedure carried out at a private veterinary, then pet owners can come into the Boksburg SPCA and complete an alimony form. This is a type of means test and asks questions such as income and expenditure,” said Mudd.
“If, after completing this form, it is seen that a person complies with the alimony form, then the SPCA will give the pet owner a date and time to bring the animal in for sterilisation.
“They will also be advised of the cost involved in getting this carried out,” Mudd said.
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