Low-cost clinic to prevent kittens deluge
Scores of unwanted kittens are being prevented from being conceived because of a stitch in time by a new low-cost cat desexing clinic.
As a vet student in Philadelphia, Carolyn Gates set up her first partnership to offer cheap cat desexing. The clinic brought together an animal welfare organisation and a vet school to provide the opportunity for students to increase their experience of the basic surgeries, while helping keep the cat population controlled.
After graduating, she became the director of the Philadelphia clinic, and it has been running successfully for more than 10 years.
Now a senior vet lecturer at Massey University in Palmerston North, Gates could see the same operation would help the community and vet students here too.
The weekend clinics began at the Massey Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Palmerston North in August, and the team has already desexed more than 110 cats.
Gates said the service is only offered for Community Service Card holders, who might not otherwise have the money to have their cats desexed. They are asked for a $10 donation for neutering and $20 for spaying, to cover materials.
‘‘It’s not actually cheap to do desexing surgeries. The only reason we can offer this service ... is because of the generosity of [volunteers and sponsors].’’
The students perform the operations, closely supervised and assisted by an experienced vet.
‘‘A lot of the students don’t have a lot of clinical experience before coming into vet school, so they are getting hands-on experience.’’
The team is carrying out 12 to 20 surgeries each clinic, and try to hold one every weekend. At least 100 more vet students are on a waiting list to be involved, and there is a waiting list of more than 250 cats.
To register a cat for the clinic, contact the Manawatu¯ SPCA on 06 357 2516.