Vet cuts fees to aid campaign
VETERINARY clinic owner Belinda Dare deals regularly with the tragedy of unwanted kittens.
Many litters have been dumped outside her Raceview clinic, including tiny kittens in poor physical condition.
Ms Dare is supporting the Animal Welfare League of Queensland's desexing campaign in Ipswich in July and August.
It is hoped that cat owners will desex their pets before the spring breeding season begins.
During the campaign, cat owners will pay only $40 to have their female cats desexed and $25 for male cats.
That's while subsidy funds last. To help anyone who has multiple cats, any additional female cats will only be $25.
"It's a ridiculously low price. We normally charge $99 for a female and $75 for a male," Ms Dare said.
"It's less than the cost of a consultation, but if you can stop cats being destroyed in shelters, it has to be a good thing."
AWLQ strategic officer Joy Verrinder said every year, in the warmer months, thousands of unwanted cats and kittens in Ipswich were collected as strays or handed in, making it impossible to find homes for all of them.
"If parents want their children to experience baby animals, they can still do this by adopting a kitten or an adult cat from the AWLQ Rehoming Centre at West Ipswich," Ms Verrinder said.
"Fostering a litter of kittens temporarily until they are old enough to be desexed and adopted by another family is another way for children to care for animals."
AWLQ veterinarian Dean Tait said cats could be pregnant from four to five months of age.
"To prevent accidental or early litters, kittens can be safely desexed from two months of age and one kilogram in weight," Mr Tait said.
"It is an easier operation causing less stress on the animal.
"As well, desexing your pet has positive advantages for its behaviour. Desexed animals are less likely to wander, to mark their territory by spraying, or to be aggressive.
"There is no medical reason why an animal should have a litter first."
WHAT TO DO
- The cut-price desexing offer is available to Ipswich residents by contacting AWLQ's National Desexing Network on 1300 368 992.
- A cat desexing voucher will be forwarded to take to a participating veterinarian.
- Participating veterinarians are AWLQ Community Vet Clinic, Tiger St, and Raceview Veterinary Clinic, Raceview Street.
