Laois SPCA seeks post lockdown help

A Laois animal rescue service is seeking help due to the level of post Covid lockdown requests it is dealing with.  

A spokesperson for Laois Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals(LSPCA) said the situation has arisen not just in Laois but countrywide. “We are getting calls every week, can you take a dog?”

The spokesperson said people got dogs during the lockdown and many didn’t think about what would happen when they returned to work. “It is just countrywide, all the rescues are just chock-a-block.” 

According to the spokesperson, animal rescues were all full before the lockdown occurred. “All the rescues knew what was going to happen. As soon as the people went to work the dog wasn’t wanted.” 

The spokesperson said there are also a lot of people who find themselves no longer able to mind dogs for a variety of reasons and not all relate to the lockdown. Examples include people who are moving to a new rented address and cannot find anywhere that will accept a dog. 

Aside from trying to rehome dogs, Laois SPCA has been busy with their neutering schemes. They’ve just finished a dog neutering scheme where they provided half price neutering for 75 dogs. “In February we did a cat neutering scheme. 475 cats were neutered in six weeks,” the spokesperson explained. 

All of these initiatives require volunteers and money and Laois SPCA is in need of both. They are looking for volunteers who can help trap neuter and release feral cats and they also need fosterers who can look after animals.

Anyone who is interested in helping Laois SPCA can find more information and contact details at their website on  www.lspca.ie or through their facebook page.