Adoptions fees half price at the SPCA this week

While the SPCA is offering half-priced adoptions, why not give Gypsy, the one-eyed kitten, a loving home?

Gypsy, the one-eyed snuggly kitten, has a condition called microphthalmia which means she was born without her left eye.

Missing an eye hasn’t affected her in the least, the wee 5-month-old kitten is still a playful little girl who loves to climb and chase.

Gypsy had a hard start and was brought into the SPCA when her mother and siblings were found poisoned when she was only 2 weeks old. She was found about 5m in the opposite direction and she only had one eye.

She has since been bottle raised and has grown happy and healthy. She is ready for her forever family who can love her clumsy play style and her sassy personality.

Gypsy isn’t the only animal looking for her forever home, currently, the SPCA has 20 per cent more animals in their care than at the same time last year, and centres are feeling overwhelmed by the numbers needing their help.

Kitten season, which would usually be nearing its end by May, shows no sign of slowing down, due to warmer weather conditions.

In the last six months, almost 11,000 kittens came into SPCA’s care nationally, this is more than 1000 additional kittens compared to the same time last year.

Centre managers across the country are stating they’re still getting newborns and pregnant cats arriving, well into the cooler months, when it is usually expected to tail off.

Other factors contributing to the influx include the compounding cost of living, lack of desexing and the impact of extreme weather events.

SPCA Interim CEO Robyn Kiddle explained the charity is now caught between a rock and a hard place – with the need for animal care currently outweighing the demand for adoptions, as people are tightening their purse strings and many of those wanting a pet, did so during Covid lockdowns.

“In April, we had 2585 incoming animals and only 1823 adoptions, making it incredibly difficult for our centres to cope,” Kiddle said.

The Interim CEO said the reality is SPCA needs to free up space as the need out there is just so great.

“We’re seeing more and more people cry out for help as they struggle to afford their pets and the necessary care that comes with them – and one of the first things to drop off the priority list for those in financial difficulty is desexing.

“When this happens, the problem escalates quickly and those unwanted litters suffer the consequences,” Kiddle said.

“This 50 per cent discount offer is about helping give a push to those people on the fence about bringing a furred or feathered friend into their home.”

As part of the adoption process, the SPCA always address the cost of bringing a pet into your home and outlines the care needed, so we know they go to responsible pet owners.

The charity, which receives only an 8 per cent contribution from the Government for its inspectorate service, also relies entirely on donations to cover the cost of each of its shelters around the country. Every animal adopted from SPCA is desexed, microchipped and vaccinated.

“We want to help every animal out there, but we just can’t,” Kiddle said.

She added, ” We only have so many resources and we can only bring in those vulnerable and injured animals where there is a safe capacity to do so.

“We’re pleading with those who can open their home to a pet, to do so. The animals need your help!”

All animals available for adoption are listed on the SPCA website: www.spca.nz/adopt.

This article was first published by the NZ Herald by Maddisyn Jeffares and is republished here with permission.