Initiative to cut number of strays
WHETHER they are dumped on the side of the road or end up in the pound, unwanted litters of dogs and cats sadly don’t have much of a future.
Last month, Dr Chris Reardon from Warwick Vet Clinic initiated a push to reduce the number of unwanted litters by holding a de-sexing month, and he said the response had been encouraging.
“Between our Warwick and Allora clinic, we did more than 160 dogs and cats, which is probably four times the normal average,” he said.
“It was a great response and would significantly reduce the burden on pounds for the number of stray animals.”
So successful was the month, Dr Reardon decided to extend the offer into September. For the rest of this month, each pet owner will receive a $62 discount when their animal is de-sexed at the clinic.
The $62 figure represents the number of years Warwick Vet Clinic has been in existence.
Dr Reardon said the move to increase the number of de-sexing procedures was at the right time of the year.
“It was the intention to reduce the numbers ahead of the breeding season,” he said.
“Animals tend to breed every six months and invariably there’s a bias towards breeding in the summer when everything warms up.”
Dr Reardon said the offer was a way to give back to the community and help council with the number of animals it needed to regulate.
