D-Day: Free desexing for felines

With a backlog of kittens born within the past three months, Golden Bay Animal Welfare Society Inc have budgeted for and organised its annual free speying and neutering day for cats and kittens.

The local organisation is full of praise for the vets who accommodate this special day. Vice president Carol Wells is hopeful that people will take advantage of this once-a-year offer to help reduce unwanted kitten numbers. She says one cat could have as many as 24 kittens within three years.

The desexing programme is completely free and can take around eight cats. “It’s a jolly good deal,” says Carol. “They get microchipped too. It’s so difficult nowadays to even have an animal because of the cost.”

The organisation also offers a 50 per cent subsidy for any other cat or kitten that has crossed through the shelter, and 25 per cent to the general public with cats.

Caring for so many small needy animals is labour intensive, necessitating foster care for the youngest kittens until the older ones can leave. Five caring foster people provide backup to the cattery. Amongst the kittens currently in foster care are six tiny black ones found motherless on a farm, due for rehoming in four weeks.

Meanwhile Carol hopes to find homes for five currently in the cattery. Three are a part-feral “mixed bag”, and the other two are brother and sister tabbies – so friendly they are “a jolly nuisance”.

“They’re such a lovely pair. They came together and have never been parted. Timothy and Topsy. The vets like them to be named to identify them when they go in.”

Golden Bay Animal Welfare Society Inc is a non-profit organisation that takes seriously their role of protecting, caring for and rehoming unwanted cats. Recently, they devised a questionnaire for people wanting to adopt, to ensure they went to suitable homes.

“It would be really nice to get more homes for kittens at the moment. They really need moving on before they get too old. But we’re responsible for these kittens. They are not a commodity; we need to know they’re secure and safe in their new surroundings.”

Golden Bay Animal Welfare Society Inc, by appointment only. Contact Carol Wells, ph 525 9494.

Results

GOLF – 28 February. 1st Daisy (Par): C Le Comte +4. Closest to pin: 9/18 M Dobbie.

4 March. Strike play 1 (Net): J Crocker 65, R Young 65, T Polglase 71. Closest to pin: 3/12 B McKenzie, 4/13 8/17 R Davis, 9/18 J Crocker. Happy wanderer: A Bradnock.

Best gross: R Davis 81.

BRIDGE – 1 March. Championship Pairs Session 2: P and B Wilson 61.90%; D Sarll/D

Perreau 58.73%; T Packard/A Foreman 57.14%. H/cap: P and B Wilson 62.40%; D

Sarll/D Perreau 60.23%; T Packard/A Foreman 56.14%. 3 March. Autumn Winds

Session 1: D Sarll/L Field 59.38%; T Packard/A Scotland 56.50%; E Bradshaw/D Perreau

54.50%. H/cap: D Sarll/L Field 63.38%; T Packard/A Scotland 60%; E Bradshaw/D

Perreau 55.25%.