HOMES NOT PRISONS PLEASE!

It is of constant concern to us that pets are kept in accommodation that is far too small to meet their needs. Unfortunately at present there is no law stating minimum requirements.

Starter hutches are widely available for rabbits and guinea pigs, which are far too small; when the animal grows they scarcely have room to move around. Likewise, runs for rabbits and guinea pigs are sold that are no bigger than the hutch they live in. The idea of a run is that the animal can 'run' and get some exercise out of the hutch. Runs should be more than twice the size of the accommodation the animal lives in.

Birds are another concern; they are kept in tiny cages and rarely, if ever, get any free flight. Most of the cages will only just let a small bird spread it's wings without touching the sides. Birds that are brought to the shelter for rehoming, when let free in our aviaries are unable to fly immediately as they have very little strength. It takes them a while to build up their strength but when they do it is a very rewarding sight to see them flying as nature intended.

Small rodents - hamsters, gerbils, mice, rats etc. are other animals that are confined to tiny tanks and cages and a life of boredom and misery. Exotic species like chinchillas, degus and chipmunks are becoming popular as pets and are kept in totally inappropriate cages. Many of these species would cover many miles in the course of a normal day in the natural habitat. Confined to tiny cages they display stereo-typical (repetitive) behaviour that is most distressing to watch and is even more distressing for the poor animal.

Reptiles are the latest craze to hit the pet market. These creatures have very special needs and are not for the inexperienced. They have very specific living conditions and accommodation requirements and do not thrive at all well without them.

Please think very carefully before taking on any new pet, read books - learn all about your chosen pets feeding and living requirements, its history, and natural habitat and try to mimic it as closely as is possible. Look on the internet - we have information available on our website on a variety of popular pets. There is no excuse for ignorance as the internet provides a wealth of free information on every animal imaginable. Ask your vet - your vet should be able to give you all the information you need or he may be able to put you in touch with an expert who can.

Always provide your pet with the biggest accommodation possible, as it will spend most of its life confined in it!

If you see an animal in distress, being ill treated or neglected please call us. Your call will be treated with the strictest of confidence, your name will not be given to any one outside this office. When leaving a message on our answer phone please leave a contact number as often we need to speak to you to clarify directions.

Animal welfare organisations throughout the country take in thousands of unwanted animals every year. There is only one way to solve this problem and that is to NEUTER.

THE FERAL CAT PROBLEM IN CO. SLIGO

The problem of stray and feral cats in both Co. Sligo and on a national basis, has reached phenomenal proportions and has now, finally, to be addressed with responsibility and action. Most of these cats were once either farm cats kept for the purpose of controlling the rodent population, or domesticated pets. Through a number of reasons, such as being left behind when their owners have moved house or died, these cats have been forced to fend for themselves and take up a feral lifestyle, but the single, overwhelming and most important reason for the unprecedented growth in the cat population is indiscriminate breeding. Cats become fertile at around 6 months of age and can produce litters of up to eight kittens at a time, all of which are also fertile and able to breed at 6 months of age. A mature tom-cat has a territory exceeding two miles radius and can fertilise dozens of female cats each season. A female cat can become pregnant again within eight weeks of giving birth, so can effectively produce three or four litters a year. Many of these kittens are inbred and are born with deformities and diseases. The ONLY answer to this problem is a responsible nationwide neutering/spaying campaign involving every person in the country who owns, feeds or looks after cats of either sex. It is imperative we take action NOW.

The severity of this problem is such that if it is not addressed immediately it could result in a national cull of all cats found loose outside - genuine strays or otherwise - and it needs little imagination to realise how distasteful this would be. Many European countries have long since adopted a scheme whereby stray and feral cats are captured, neutered/spayed and returned to the wild where they can continue their business of rodent control around farms, factories, industrial estates etc but can no longer breed. Naturally this requires considerable funding at both the local and national levels. Ireland is far behind in their animal welfare issues generally and really needs to cop on where this one is concerned. Sligo SPCA, along with many other SPCA’s around the country is deeply concerned about this escalating problem. A national petition to lobby The Department of the Environment for constructive help on this issue has been set up on-line by Maureen Gibbons of Mayo Cat Rescue at
www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/863869655 and we ask every one of you to please get to a computer, sign the petition and send it on to all your friends. It is time to make a noise!

SOMETIMES IT IS BEST TO LEAVE WELL ALONE!

In Spring and early Summer it is not uncommon to come across wild animals and birds that appear to be abandoned by their parents. This is not always the case! An example is leverets (baby hares) who are left by their mothers for most of their young lives. They are generally hidden in long grass but only visited by their mothers twice a day - early in the morning and late in the evening around nightfall. If you disturb their hiding place DO NOT TOUCH the leverets, however cute they are, as the mother will not accept them if she smells humans have been handling her babies. Leave them quietly and go away.

Should you know for certain that the mother has been killed and that the leverets are therefore truly orphaned, they may be raised on FRESH cow's milk ie. straight from the cow, not pasteurised, homogenised, bottled, cartoned or tinned. Feed lukewarm, 30ml per animal each time, four times a day. At one week old start to offer fresh dandelion leaves, clover and grass for them to nibble on. They should gain weight at a rate of 25-30gms a day.

Handle the animals as little as possible if they are to be encouraged to return to the wild.

Baby birds are also often found on the ground, apparently abandoned. If they are on the road or some other dangerous situation, lift them gently into hedgerow cover nearby and leave them alone. The parents are almost certainly in the vicinity watching and will continue to feed them on the ground until they are strong enough to fly. Small wild birds are notoriously difficult to hand rear so the advice of an expert should always be sought before attempting to feed any species.