15 February 2006

SPCA Launches Mobile De-Sex Clinic

The Royal New Zealand SPCA has launched a major new initiative, aimed at encouraging the de-sexing of dogs and cats.

The society's Mobile Clinic was officially launched on Sunday 12th February by Kay Anderson, Miss World New Zealand 2006, at a ceremony at the SPCA Auckland Animal Village in Mangere.

The clinic is housed in a specially-designed eight-metre long caravan. It will provide free de-sexing for the dogs and cats of owners who cannot afford veterinarian fees. A further goal will be to run educational programmes on the importance of de-sexing and on animal welfare in general. "If more cats and dogs are de-sexed, we will substantially reduce the need to euthanase unwanted puppies and kittens," says the Royal New Zealand SPCA's National Chief Executive, Robyn McDonald.

"It's a dreadful thing to have to ask anyone to end an animal's life, let alone to ask this of our SPCA staff members, who have a deep love of animals. There has to be a better way than this to limit our ever increasing population of unwanted dogs and cats," she says.

The clinic is scheduled to begin operations in the western Bay of Plenty later this month.

ENDS

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