Rotorua SPCA inundated with animals

Rotorua SPCA's Nadine Brown with a couple of kittens. Photo/File

It has been a busy season for the Rotorua SPCA, which is always looking for community members keen to help out furry friends in need.

Rotorua SPCA centre manager Sue Kinsella says it was still getting many kittens in even though it was well and truly through kitten season - although the season had a bit of a late start.

"A lot of them are being dumped on our premises at night and we discover them in the morning, or people ring in saying they have found a pregnant mother or that one has given birth under the deck."

She says sometimes those dumped there do not make it through the night because they do not have the resilience to be in the cold.

"From a staff perspective it's emotionally exhausting."

Sue says a message that needs to be put out is to desex your cats and dogs to avoid unwanted litters.

People who are a community services card holder have discounts available.

Sue says they are in need of fosterers for kittens and puppies.

She says litters can do with time away from the shelter to socialise, and that fostering seems to be the best way to get them healthy and ready to be adopted.

"They get fattened up and become chubbies ready to go.

"We have been adopting them out regularly which is great to see but there is more supply than demand unfortunately."

She says the Rotorua SPCA are also in need of more volunteers.

"It would be great if people can volunteer a few hours a week, either fostering or coming into the shelter."

She says people do not even have to be hands on with the animals.

"There are so many different jobs we have to accommodate every day and the more volunteers that we have means the more time we can spend on our animals."

The Rotorua SPCA Cupcake Day is also coming up on August 6, and the community is being encouraged to think about doing some baking to get behind the cause.

If you are interested in fostering, volunteering or taking part in the Cupcake Day contact the shelter on (07) 349 2955 or through www.rotoruaspca.org.nz.