Neutering campaign to be launched

A total of Lm3,400 will be invested in an animal neutering campaign thanks to Yelp for Help's Furrrballs festival held last November.

Hundreds of people had attended the event at Buskett, which featured stilt-walkers, story-telling, and a train ride for the children.

Sanctuaries and conservation organisations used the event as a platform to disseminate information about their organisation's objectives and campaigns as well as to recruit volunteers and new members.

The Community Chest Fund presented Yelp For Help with funds left over from the charity extravaganza L-Istrina, which were specifically allocated to the neutering of stray cats and dogs by the committee. Yelp For Help will invest this donation in its own neutering campaign for 2007, being launched this week. The campaign aims to reduce the populations of stray cats and dogs in Malta by working together with local veterinary surgeons, colony carers and sanctuaries.

Spaying and neutering operation costs are hefty, and sponsorship of these operations by Yelp for Help includes the veterinary surgeon's charge and anaesthetic, as well as medication and VAT charges.

Operation costs vary according to the animal's weight, size and sex. Neutering operations performed on female cats and dogs are more complicated and expensive due to their biological make-up. For the same reason convalescence for a female lasts longer.

Through past events Yelp for Help raised approximately Lm5,000 which was invested in the neutering of 360 stray cats and 87 stray dogs.

Participating organisations included: Animal Rights Group, Cats on Campus, Hakuna Matata, Happy Paws Charity Organisation, Island Sanctuary, National Cat Society, Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary, Stray Animal Support Group, Share Malta, SPCA (Gozo), BICREF and BirdLife Malta.

Yelp For Help's neutering campaign this year will be managed by Happy Paws Charity Organisation, Stray Animal Support Group and The Island Sanctuary. Carers and dog sanctuaries needing vouchers for the neutering of homeless/stray dogs are to contact Claire Gafa at Island Sanctuary on 2165 9895. Carers and cat sanctuaries needing vouchers to neuter homeless/stray cats may contact Margaret Glover from Happy Paws Charity Organisation on 9987 4972 or Janine Vella from Stray Animal Support Group on 7957 5765.