Hens, lizards and feral cats

Dumped hens and chickens are a growing problem for the Westmeath Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals.“We’ve come across hens and chickens being dumped - sometimes maybe because people have lost their enthusiasm for keeping them, or sometimes because they have stopped laying,” said Vincent Holian of the WSPCA this week.It’s one of a number of “new” problems that the WSPCA wouldn’t have encountered too often in the past - but which are becoming more common.The recession has meant that as foreign residents return home, the WSPCA is finding itself called out to vacated properties from time to time to deal with all sorts of exotic pets left behind, commonly reptiles; also iguanas; terrapins, and even snakes.In addition, the Society locally is battling against the soaring incidence of FIV - the cat version of Aids - which over the past eighteen months has become increasingly common among the rising numbers of feral cats roaming around.“The problem is at its worst in the housing estates,” said Mr. Holian, adding that the incidence of the disease, which cats can spread simply by biting each other, has soared locally in the last eighteen moths.“They can be treated with antibiotics if it’s caught in time, but it never goes away, and lots of cats who get it have to be put down because they have no body condition, and they are very aggressive,” he told the Westmeath Examiner this week.This is why, Mr. Holian added, the WSPCA is encouraging cat owners to neuter or spay their cats; and encouraging cat owners to feed their cats indoors to prevent enticing feral cats to the locality.Otherwise, wandering domestic cats mate, leading to a growth in the number of kittens - many in the wild.WeatherNow as the weather hardens, the WSPCA is urging people to think of their animals in the colder temperatures.“The winter of 09/10 was one of the coldest in recent history as the WSPCA were inundated with calls to some horrific scenes which we hope never to see again,” Mr. Holian said. He says pet owners should ensure they can afford their pets, given the current economic crisis - but if they can’t, they should seek help or advice from the WSPCA.“The majority of our calls relate to horses and cats,” he said.“Unfortunately, the equine industry has decreased in value in the last two years, and therefore, we have seen horrific cases of starving horses, some of which had to be destroyed earlier this year.”The WSPCA is appealing to owners this winter to ensure that their animals have access to adequate fodder and water at all times. This is especially necessary, Mr. Holian says, in the case of thoroughbreds.“They are a finer, less tough breed,” he points out, adding that rugging of horses in cold weather is advisable; and that a regular worming and farrier programme is also vital.CatsAnita Mason accepts dogs at Ballinea, and Sarah Mason runs the WSPCA’s cattery, also at Balinea. “The summer of 2010 has been the busiest for Sarah,” says Vincent, revealing that over 200 cats and kittens were taken in, vaccinated, wormed and rehomed.“Sarah often spends sleepless nights feeding her many orphan kittens which she works tirelessly to rehome. We are currently finding it difficult to keep up with the volume of cats and kittens waiting for the rehoming process,” he says.Mr. Holian reveals that in the run-up to Hallowe’en, the Society is concerned for animals, and he is appealing that people not use fireworks or bangers around pets.“Not alone are they highly dangerous, but also they cause long term effects and are very frightening to domestic and farm animals.”The WSPCA is a non-profit-making organisation, established over fifty years ago and run by a small but dedicated group of volunteers. To contact the WSPCA, phone 086-6383730.