Thursday, March 6, 2008

Pet sterilization-only clinic

Dear Readers,

The following article is from the News24 website and may give you cause for thought as you consider this week's poll about cat sterilization. Please vote and share your opinions with everyone else!

The South African Mass Animal Sterilisation Trust (SAMAST) recently
announced the establishment of the first ever permanent “sterilisations only”
animal clinic in South Africa.
A 12m-long shipping container at Mdzananda
Animal Clinic is being converted into an operational sterilisation clinic where
all SAMAST funded sterilisations will take place.

"We are so excited to be a hairs breath away from reaching this goal and
with just a little more help, a fully operational, permanent sterilisation
clinic will be up and running in Khayelitsha, the largest informal settlement in
the Western Cape,” say Tamsin Nel, director and fundraiser of SAMAST.

SAMAST is appealing for product and any financial support in support of
this project. “No donation is too big or small,” says Nel.

Clinic about hope and compassion“Mass sterilisation is a pro-active
solution to eliminate the cause of a lot of misery. This is why this unique
clinic is about hope and compassion.”
SAMAST has been campaigning for free
mass sterilisations to become a daily occurrence in underprivileged areas since
September 2006 and has so far funded 735 sterilisations at the cost of R110-250.

SAMAST believes that the only way to address animal over-population is
to be consistent and focused. They are able to pay for eighty-five
sterilisations every month and are working towards a funding target of 365 spays
and neuters per month in Khayelitsha before turning their attentions to other
areas in need.

Managing your pet’s health“Each time a community member has their cat
or dog sterilised they are empowered because they now have a far more manageable
task of care-giving. They no longer have to deal with the hopelessness of litter
after litter of unwanted dead and dying kittens and puppies. I have seen how
this (sterilisation) impacts very positively on the level of care their animals
receive, and the fewer diseased and sick animals with mange and ringworm for
example, the healthier the human population is too because they are less at risk
in contracting scabies or being covered in ringworm,” says Nel.

Contact SAMAST at 021 794 3761 or emailed on samast@webafrica.org.za
for more information on pet sterilisation, or donations.
Read more: