Spay Week Ireland 2010

A subsidised spay and neuter scheme operated by Irish vets with the support of an international dog welfare charity is set to make a positive impact on the huge toll of unwanted dogs that are destroyed in the country’s pounds every year.

Since it was launched by Dogs Trust in mid-2006, over 26, 000 dogs have been spayed or neutered under the scheme, which with funding from the charity is now available in 360 veterinary clinics nationwide.

(l to r) Brenda Comerford, Dogs Trust Campaigns Manager Ireland, Minister John Gormley, Vet Pete Wedderburn and Remi Le Mahieu from ASH Rescue (who provided the puppies)

Commenting today (Monday 25/05/08) on the figure at the launch of this year’s Spay Week Ireland annual awareness campaign, organiser and television vet Pete Wedderburn was optimistic that the success of the scheme could soon start to significantly reduce the number of unwanted dogs destroyed in Ireland every year.

“Every single unneutered dog or unspayed bitch is capable producing several litters in its lifetime,” he said. “Even on a conservative estimate of preventing just one litter of five puppies per animal neutered, the high uptake of the scheme has prevented the birth of over 130,000 puppies, which would otherwise have grown up to live short, unwanted lives ending with them being killed in Ireland’s dog pounds.”

“The most recent figures we have from the Department of the Environment show that 14, 598 unwanted dogs were destroyed in Irish dog pounds in 2006. As the subsidised neuter scheme was only getting started in that year, we should see its positive effects kicking in over the next few years,� he adds.

Mr. Wedderburn was speaking at a photo call with Environment Minister John Gormley to mark the launch of this year’s Spay Week campaign.

Thanking Mr. Gormley for his support for Spay Week, Mr. Wedderburn urged the Minister to tackle Ireland’s unwanted dogs crisis by providing an incentive for owners to spay or neuter their pet through a reform of the dog licensing laws.

“Our proposal is to reform the dog licensing system so that it is more effective, including microchipping as part of the licensing arrangment so that stray dogs can be more easily reunited with their owners. As part of the†reforms, a lower licence†fee would be charged for dogs that have been neutered or spayed, to†give owners a financial incentive to† prevent their dogs from breeding,” he said.

Mr. Wedderburn said he wished to welcome the Minister’s commitment to bring forward legislation to regulate puppy farming.

Spay Week Ireland is an annual public awareness campaign that aims to end the destruction of unwanted cats and dogs by encouraging owners to spay or neuter their pets.

The campaign is supported by both VICAS (Veterinary Ireland Companion Animal Society) and Dogs Trust, which in co-operation with participating vets runs the nationwide subsidised neutering campaign that offers dog owners on means-tested social welfare benefits the opportunity to have their pets spayed or neutered for a nominal fee of €20.

Further information about the Dogs Trust Spay & Neuter scheme is available from the Dogs Trust Neutering Hotline at 1890 946 336.

Dogs Trust Ireland Campaigns Manager Brenda Comerford said they are delighted with the high number of owners that have availed of the scheme and that they plan to continue building on this success.

“Recently, one dog in a south Dublin suburb, which has sired nine litters of puppies in the past nine years, was neutered under the scheme. It was just one case but perfectly illustrates the success of the scheme,� she says.

Spay Week 2008 is backed by a nationwide network of vets, animal welfare volunteers and charities – all promoting the message that the only way to end the scandal is for people to take a more responsible attitude to pet ownership by ensuring their cats and dogs are neutered of spayed.

This year the awareness message has beem extended with the launch of a pilot sceme, which saw Spay Week posters distributed to over one quarter of the country’s primary schools.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Spay Week Ireland: Visit: www.spayweekireland.ie

Issued on behalf of Spay Week Ireland by CN Media
For further press information
Contact Jan van Embden at CN Media Ltd.
Tel: 01 – 282 9853

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