Cruelty to cat shock for SPCA

SPCA staff have been left sickened after they had to put down a cat they suspect had boiling water poured over its body.

Whangarei SPCA branch manager Francine Shields said a member of the public alerted staff to the cat in the suburb of Otangarei over the New Year holiday weekend.

"It obviously happened a little while ago. The skin was dying and the tissue was rotting. It was in a very bad state," said Shields.

She described the act as "completely unnecessary and extremely cruel" and the SPCA was at a loss as to who was responsible.

The incident is one of a number attended by the SPCA over the past fortnight.

Staff were alerted to another "very serious" case where two dogs were left chained up at a Whangarei address while their owner was away.

SPCA staff arrived at the house just after Christmas to find the older dog having a seizure caused by severe heat stroke.

His chain had tangled and he could not access his water.

Shields said the dog's internal organs had started to cook and he was later put down.

The owner had been spoken to and could face charges.

Shields said the SPCA had been "really, really busy" with complaints, and had found a "significant increase" in dogs being left in cars.

"We certainly haven't had a good start to the year," said Shields. "We've had three cases in the last three to four weeks where the dog has needed to be removed from the car."

She said they had also had the usual problem this year where people left animals at home due to a "lack of consideration".

She said other people left animals with friends but some were not thorough with their arrangements.

She urged people to give it more thought. "If you're leaving them with people make sure you're leaving them with someone responsible."

Auckland SPCA chief executive Garth Halliday said the number of animals in SPCA care usually doubled between November and February, although there were slightly fewer this year.

"But we're certainly inundated. We've got animals coming out our ears."