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:

Keeping up to date on animal health

Having pets and having to take care of them can sometimes feel like you have children to take care of. And in many ways you do but that does not mean that you have to fret and worry pedantically about your cat or dog’s animal health. Your pet needs some basics to ensure their good health and you can take care of these quite simply and easily.

First off is their food and nutritional needs. With great vet endorsed and nutritionally researched foods available at local shops you can be sure that your cat or dog will be getting the essential food requirements that they need to grow and age with. On top of these foods if your vet recommends something extra or a specialized type of food your pet will still be getting the right foods that they need to ensure good animal health.

Once you are certain that your pets are getting the right foods you can look to their grooming needs. Short and medium hair pets usually need less grooming than long hair pets, but by keeping them clean, bathed and brushed you can keep your animals looking good and it will go a long way to keeping their animal health in check as well.

Some cat litter trivia: the man behind the idea

In 1947 cat litter was invented by a man named Edward Lowe. He had found a hardy and absorbent gravel-like substance that was being used to clean up factory floors. He thought to try it out as a means for cat trays and it worked! So for the last 61 years our indoor lives with our pets have been a lot easier to handle thanks to one man and his practical thinking when it came to cats.

The cat litter that we use today is still just like that of the type that Edward Lowe first tried out but we have also made some changes and even some advancements in the cat litter industry over the six decade period. Now you do not have to go around to factories or find factory suppliers for your cat litter, you can just pop down to a local shop and buy bags in suitable amounts from 2.5 to 10 kilogram bags.

The newest improvement in the cat litter front is silicone litter which is more absorbent and gives off fewer odours than the usual gravel cat litter. With practical trays and litter box liners we can be glad that Edward Lowe once tried out something new.

Read our pet blog - we're here to help you!

Who or where do you go to when you are in urgent need of good and trustworthy information relating to animal health? Your vet is of course the ideal source for information and advice but seeing your vet is not always practical, and if you need the information really suddenly it is good to have someone and somewhere to get advice from quickly. A pet blog with good information and reliable animal advice is a great and very fast way of finding the information that you need.

A pet blog is a space that gives you and me the chance ask questions, share advice, exchange animal tips or even just tell each other about the cutest thing our pet did earlier in the day. With Medipet’s open forum and pet blog you can be informed and stay informed about the latest news and events regarding pets. You can pick up information extremely quickly about your cat or dog’s needs and you can even ask a professional for vet advice. Don't forget - you can email us at medipetblog@gmail.com for quick answers and reliable information.

With the Medipet team’s pet blog you have access to an ideal way to share information and search for any information that you need on your pet’s day to needs and long term happiness.

Poll results: cutting your pet's nails.

Have you ever considered cutting your pet’s nails? If you have not then now may be the best time to give it some thought and then to practice some animal help and do it! The last poll question on this site asks how many times you cut your pet’s nails, if you answer never then you may be surprised to find out that there are a number of people who groom and cut their animal’s nails on a regular basis.

The results were as follows:
once a year - 21%
once every two months - 14%
once a month - 28%
never - 35%

Having indoor pets means that you cat or dog does not get the chance to run around outside, which is how animals usually and naturally keep their nails ‘filed’. Cats are known for scratching trees and by digging up sand dogs keep their nails sharp, short and naturally groomed. Sometimes a pet might just have long nails that do not wear down as quickly as they grow and they may need a bit of animal help to keep their nails in check. To have your pet’s nails cut you could take your dog or cat to a grooming parlour or you could learn to cut their nails yourself. If you are doing it yourself you should invest in a pair of dog or cat nail trimmers that will make cutting their nails much easier and safer.