Animals In Need News: Free pet neutering, and happy ending for missing cat

Animals In Need (AIN) have launched their Fix It Feb campaign in Donegal, and will be offering the public the chance to have their pet neutered for free.

The campaign will run all week up until February 9 and AIN will cover the cost of neutering for 10 pets per day, meaning a total of 70 pets will be neutered (this is in addition to AIN’s usual subsidised neutering programme).

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Ten people will be selected to have their pet neutered at the end of each day.

This is the perfect time of year to get your cat neutered before the breeding season starts in earnest and as dogs can be in season throughout the year, there is no time like the present to remove the risk of unwanted litters of pups too.

The scheme is open to residents of County Donegal and covers the neutering of one pet per household, whether that be a dog, cat or rabbit, male or female.

Full details of the scheme and the terms and conditions can be found on AIN’s Facebook page, so don’t delay, neuter or spay!

Last week, AIN rescued a blind collie dog who had shown up in a remote area near Mountcharles.

Originally thought to be a girl, Charlie is in fact a male dog.

He was wearing a heavy broken chain around his neck when he was found and it is presumed that he had been dumped as he was in a neglected condition.

At first it was thought that Charlie was an old dog with cataracts, but he is actually quite young, although he is completely blind.

Charlie has settled in at AIN and is an extremely affectionate dog and is very responsive to his foster carer, despite being blind.

He had clearly had difficulty in finding food while he was wandering and in the first hours after arriving at his foster home, he passed a plastic bag that he had eaten in desperation. The bag had probably had food in it and had retained the smell. How he managed to pass the bag without complications is a miracle.

It is likely that Charlie has a genetic condition known as Collie Eye Anomaly, or CEA, which is found most commonly in herding dogs, especially collies and Shetland sheepdogs.

Charlie is safe and warm now and is enjoying his meals of high-quality dog food.

AIN’s cat rescuers have had a busy week, with several more cats needing help, including a cat called Angelo, who had shown up at a house in a clearly distressed state.

A concerned local contacted AIN to see what could be done for him.

AIN offered to take over Angelo's care, but he was very timid and needed to be caught first.

As he was in a remote part of Donegal, it was not easy to transport a trap there immediately, but finally he was caught and brought straight to a vet to be checked over.

Angelo’s paw pads are swollen and raw but he was released from the vets and has settled in at an AIN foster home, where he is receiving medication, has plenty of food, a heat lamp and a soft bed.

Angelo is suffering from Feline Plasma Cell Pododermatitis (PCP), also known as cat pillow foot, which is a skin disease afflicting the paw pads in cats.

Angelo’s paw pads were extremely sore but he is much happier now that he is in a warm bed and his paw pads are kept dry and clean

Thank you to all who helped Angelo on his way to recovery; to Mairead who contacted AIN to alert them to Angelo’s plight, then caught him and brought him to the vets, Angela for lending a cat carrier and Rachael for helping with transport.

This is how animal rescue should be; a community effort for a community cat.

Three more stray cats were also rescued by AIN during the week, amongst them a heavily pregnant cat called Clover.

There was also good news for a stray cat who showed up at a housing estate in Ballybofey. His owner recognised him on AIN’s Facebook page and it turned out he had been missing for two years. His owners were delighted to have him back home at last.

Meanwhile, beautiful 9-month-old white cat Lania is ready for her new home. Her fosterer describes her as a sweetheart and very friendly and Lania loves human company. For further information on adoptions, please contact AIN.

For further information on adoption, fostering, volunteering etc, please contact the main helpline on 087 1356188. For cat/kitten enquiries please call 087 7644420. Animals In Need Donegal is also on Facebook and has a website at http://www.animalsinneeddonegal.com

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