Feline friends and pretty pooches lined the floor of Merivale Community Centre this week as owners took up the offer of low-cost health treatments for their pets, in a collaborative event with Tauranga SPCA.
Dozens of Western Bay pet owners visited the community centre on Wednesday and yesterday and were offeredde-worm and de-flea treatments for their pets for a gold coin donation.
One worming tablet would cost between $4-10 and a single flea treatment would cost at least $15. Some flea treatments retail at $40 or more.
Community centre services manager Graham Cameron said the demand was "far beyond" what organisers expected, with SPCA education officer Nicolle Smith treating more than 50 pets on the first day.
Mr Cameron said the event, funded by Tauranga SPCA, was an "unexpected hit" so they decided to hold a second day, which was also a success.
"We went through heaps of stuff [on Wednesday], much more than we were expecting. It was probably a hundred dollars worth," Mr Cameron said.
"But this just shows there's huge demand out there... and people really do care for their pets but don't really have the option to pay [for the treatments]."
Hepa Borell was one of the many people who used the service for his two puppies, Pipi and Major.
He said the initiative was a great event for the Merivale community.
"I think this is awesome, considering it's like $40 for 3-month treatment at the supermarket."
Mrs Smith said the SPCA would hold a clinic in Papamoa in two weeks and another one in Merivale next month.
She would like to set one up in Te Puke but said it depended on whether people supported the initiative.
The Merivale SPCA clinic was replicated off a similar event held in Whangarei, where the SPCA worked with lower socio-economic neighbourhoods to ensure animals were properly looked after.
Mr Cameron said the community centre would look at part-funding the event so it could happen every three months in Merivale.
"With the well-known concerns about roaming dogs in our community, perhaps this is a chance to have some impact on that problem," he said.
