Bendigo VIC - RSPCA swamped

THE RSPCA has called on central Victorians to change the culture of pet ownership, with its Bendigo shelter almost full to the brim with stray and abandoned animals. Few cages remain empty at the shelter this week after the Christmas and New Year rush, which has resulted in dozens of kittens being dumped at the shelter.

RSPCA shelter supervisor Geoff Hall said about 60 dogs and 65 cats and kittens were now housed at the East Bendigo shelter.

And yesterday, when The Advertiser visited, a number of people were arriving with more litters of kittens.

Mr Hall, who normally manages the Castlemaine shelter, has worked at the Bendigo facility for just over three months.

He said while the Bendigo facility had been overrun with dumped pets during Christmas, this was not an unusual occurrence.

"(People) don't need kittens and cats in their houses for Christmas, so they throw them at the RSPCA," he said.

He said while the week between Christmas and New Year had been one of the shelter's busiest, the entire year was usually busy.

"We are never quiet; every day we get more animals and it's just a situation we have to deal with," Mr Hall said.

He said while the RSPCA was happy to take the animals in, many would be end up being euthanased.

"Our facility is not small... the RSPCA puts heaps of resources into making sure it functions," he said.

"But Bendigo is growing at such a rapid rate, we have to change our culture.

"Pets are not easy come, easy go, and there is no such thing as free to a good home - pets cost money.

"The general public has to become responsible for pet ownership."

Mr Hall said the RSPCA charged a fee when people came to adopt dogs and cats, which included vet checks, vaccination and desexing.

But he said often pets were advertised as "free to a good home".

Stamping out those advertisements could go a long way to changing people's idea of pet ownership, Mr Hall said.

"It's like giving someone a toy or a bike - if they haven't had to work hard for it, they will park it under a tree and leave it alone," he said.

Compulsory desexing and microchipping would also decrease the strain on animal shelters, Mr Hall said.

He said the RSPCA tried to educate people who were adopting their animals.

"We ask them to go away and think about it... we try and steer them away from impulse buying."

Reference: http://bendigo.yourguide.com.au

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