SPCA defends unwanted pets policy

By Carly Udy
Tauranga SPCA has defended accusations it is failing to do its job properly by refusing to accept unwanted pets.
The organisation's new manager, Matt Franklin, says its primary responsibility is for the welfare of sick, injured or abandoned animals - not to take in people's pets just because they didn't want them anymore.
The shelter was being inundated with animals daily and already has to put down hundreds every year.
Mr Franklin, who has been at Tauranga SPCA for just under a fortnight, said contrary to popular belief, the SPCA was not a re-homing service.
His comments come after two Tauranga women contacted the Bay of Plenty Times angry at the SPCA for rejecting their unwanted pets.
One woman, who does not want to be named, said she took her unwanted two cats, aged 10 and 12 years to the SPCA and was turned away without staff even looking at them.
The woman said she was angry by the treatment as both her cats had been 'fixed' and vaccinated. She said her decision to re-home her cats was because they'd been going to the toilet inside, something that had occurred since she adopted a dog four years ago.
The other pet owner, Judy Treloar of Ohauiti, said the SPCA rejected her two rabbits and to her "absolute horror" told her to try her luck at pet shops or have them euthanised by a vet.
"In mentioning this saga to another person, they had also had a similar incidence with two kittens that had been dumped on their property and the SPCA wouldn't take them," she said.
But Mr Franklin said he did not accept that. Any abandoned animal would never be turned away.
"Of course, people's situations change unexpectedly and they can no longer keep an animal. However, they are first expected to make all possible attempts to re-home their own animals as the SPCA do not have the facilities to accept every animal presented."
Mr Franklin said if the SPCA had room it would take in animals for re-homing but might charge a surrender fee. He said pet owners needed to remember that if animals don't find homes, the SPCA had no choice but to put them down.
"Euthanasia is not an easy task and takes its toll on staff members who have to assist a vet in euthanasia. Quite often the staff end up in tears because of the stress euthanasia of animals creates.
"There is also the poor old animal who is surrounded by strangers in its final moments. SPCA staff are human, too. Euthanasia is just as hard on us, hence the reason we try to carefully choose only animals that need to be taken in and SPCA try to put the responsibility back on the owner of an animal to do their best by that animal," he said.
The Tauranga SPCA can take in up to 1600 animals in a year. It has 15 kennels, four cat holding pens and a few rabbit hutches.
"It doesn't take long before we are at bursting point," he said.
There was also a misconception the Tauranga SPCA was now "very well off" and could accommodate more animals than ever, thanks to a $1 million bequest left by Tauranga 88-year-old Betty Napier when she died over a year ago.
"For Tauranga SPCA to receive any money, a submission needs to be put the (national) committee. Tauranga SPCA plans to make a submission requesting funding to develop facilities to meet an ever increasing demand.
"This, in itself, will create higher overheads, which in turn will require more support from the public. We rely solely on the support of the public. The impression that Tauranga SPCA well off and no longer requires as much support. This is untrue and causing us great concern."