Tauranga SPCA is becoming a dumping ground for unwanted pets as firm economic times hit the pockets of Western Bay families. Operations manager Margaret Rawiri said cat owners regularly came in and said they did not want their adult cat anymore, particularly if it had just had kittens. "If people did not want their cat to have kittens then they should have had it de-sexed in the first place," she said. Yesterday 64 cats and kittens were being housed at the Animal shelter and 20-25 dogs, mainly puppies. There were between 20 and 30 kittens in SPCA foster homes around the region.
"People are really getting restless with us when we tell them we really don't have any spare cages and try to explain we are here for sick and injured animals, not for unwanted pets."For some people it seems their animals are dispensable items and when they don't want them anymore, because they are moving house or can't afford to care for them, they expect someone else to pick up the loose". The number of incoming pets animals this year had surpassed the number of adoptions, which had slowed down. On average between 700 and 800 dogs are impounded each year, but the retrieval rate by their owners remains stable at 80 per cent.
"People are really getting restless with us when we tell them we really don't have any spare cages and try to explain we are here for sick and injured animals, not for unwanted pets."For some people it seems their animals are dispensable items and when they don't want them anymore, because they are moving house or can't afford to care for them, they expect someone else to pick up the loose". The number of incoming pets animals this year had surpassed the number of adoptions, which had slowed down. On average between 700 and 800 dogs are impounded each year, but the retrieval rate by their owners remains stable at 80 per cent.
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