It's a bad time of year for neglected pets

IT HAS not been a very happy start to the new year for our four-legged friends.

Many given as Christmas presents have already been dumped and now face an uncertain future.

The RSPCA is flooded with abandoned and runaway domestic pets over the festive season.

Can you help?  Check out the RSPCA website for more information or go straight to the RSPCA's Adopt a Pet site to start your search.

Yesterday, the RSPCA shelter at Yagoona in southwest Sydney took in more than 25 animals in the day.

Most of those were dogs and puppies, but two cats and two kittens were also brought in.

But not all were dumped by owners. Many were escapees from loving homes, but became scared and disoriented by the numerous New Year's Eve fireworks exploding across greater Sydney.

"On New Year's Eve, people just don't get how freaked out pets can get," RSPCA chief executive Steve Coleman said.

"People don't understand how acute their hearing is - particularly dogs."

Mr Coleman said on the final night of each year, dogs would leap out of windows and dig their way out of backyards once the fireworks started popping in the sky. But he also blamed impulse buying of pets over the summer holidays for the admissions spike.

"It's OK to get animals as presents, but the issue of buying animals as surprise gifts is a recipe for disaster," Mr Coleman said.

On Christmas Day alone, the RSPCA took in 51 animals including 24 dogs, eight cats and 12 kittens. The following day, it made room for another 31 animals - mostly dogs. The shelter at Yagoona reached its capacity of 600 dogs and 350 cats three weeks ago, which means new arrivals are more likely to be put down.

"We have to make the decision to kill animals on a daily basis because the community won't do it," Mr Coleman said. "We're killing otherwise healthy animals - not because we want to, but because we have to."

Mr Coleman said pet owners should microchip their animals for easy identification and get them de-sexed.

Reference: www.news.com.au

Return to the index...

This article has been viewed 811 times.