Dog de-sexing plan cuts cost to owners

A programme aimed at combating Rotorua's stray dog problem by offering reduced de-sexing fees looks set to start by next month.

The Rotorua SPCA is finalising a funding deal with First Sovereign Trust to get more money for the programme and will also approach Bay Trust if need be before the programme goes ahead.

The Rotorua District Council, Vet Plus, Vet Club and Central City Vets have already agreed to help with the programme. They will each pay a quarter of the cost with local dog owners who have a Community Services or Gold Card to de-sex their dogs.

This will reduce the cost for owners to about $75 for neutering (males) and $95 for spaying (females), which the SPCA hopes will encourage them to get their dogs de-sexed and prevent unwanted puppies.

The Rotorua District Council agreed this year to contribute to the programme for three years, giving $15,000 this year, $10,000 in 2013 and $5000 in 2014.

Rotorua SPCA president Debbie Van Den Broek said the programme was not only aimed at helping owners but also the welfare of dogs.

"We want dogs to have homes where they are wanted and are not just breeding machines," she said.

Mrs Van Den Broek said the programme should be successful if the cat de-sexing programme, which had been on offer since July last year, was anything to go by.

She said the number of stray cats had greatly reduced since that programme started - the biggest drop in her 16 years working for the SPCA.

She said the SPCA's vet bill had dropped from $20,000 to $6000 as a result of the de-sexing programme and she believed the council's costs to run the pound would follow suit once the programme was available for dogs.

Mrs Van Den Broek advised people to put their names down early for the service as they would only be able to de-sex about 20 dogs a week and she expected it would be popular.

She said the SPCA had already had 298 dogs from January to September this year.

Last year the council impounded 1851 dogs and 900 of them needed to be destroyed.

The council spends $1 million a year running the local pound, half of which is paid for by ratepayers.