Re-homing plea as Home is swamped with unwanted cats and kittens

10/07/2008

The so-called ‘kitten season’ has hit the Bristol Dogs Home and RSPCA  Veterinary Clinic hard this year, leaving them swamped with over 30  homeless felines including a box of kittens which were dumped outside the door.

 

Numbers of unwanted animals being handed over for adoption always rise at this time of year as the breeding season draws to a close, but this year numbers are even greater than ever.

 

Four black and white nine week old kittens were found dumped outside the Clinic in a box by staff who arrived for work. Fortunately the animals were unharmed and healthy. Two of the four have already been re-homed but the remaining two, named Tom and Jerry, now urgently need new homes and staff have issued an appeal for would-be adopters to come forward.

 

Lee Coombs, assistant manager of the Bristol Dogs Home said: “We have reached full capacity and are very worried about our ability to take on any more animals that are unwanted. We have ten cats and 15 kittens in the Bristol Dogs Home at the moment plus a further 13 in isolation awaiting the results of tests for cat flu and other illnesses. Five cats are stuck in the Veterinary Clinic next door waiting to come in to the Home when we have space.

 

“There is also a long waiting list for people who want to hand their cats and kittens over for re-homing.

 

“As usual it’s the result of people failing to get their cats neutered. Anyone who believes they cannot afford it only has to contact our RSPCA Veterinary Clinic to find out about our low-cost neutering schemes. And of course all cats that we re-home are already neutered. There really is no excuse to end up with unwanted animals and dump them on our doorstep in a box. It is disgusting behaviour.”

 

The RSPCA charges £50 to adopt a male cat or kitten and £60 for a female. The price includes neutering, vaccinations, de-flea treatment, de-worming treatment and micro-chipping.

 

Anyone wishing to adopt a cat or kitten should telephone 0117 9776043 or visit the website linked below.