May is the month to spay

– Elizabeth Moorhead on work experience

Even with their warm furry coats, cats in Kiama might be a little apprehensive about the onset of May.

The local branch of the Animal Welfare League, stretching from Kiama to Bulli, will launch May Spay tomorrow.

Animal Welfare League (AWF) is an Australia-wide volunteer-run organisation.

May Spay will focus on female cats and will offer eligible cat owners access to half-price spaying for their pet.

The special price of $75 offered by participating veterinarians will be reserved for cat owners receiving Centrelink benefits or in possession of a Government healthcare card.

“We spend an awful lot of time tracking down unwanted cats in the area and we hope that through May Spay we can reduce the number of stray cats,” Illawarra AWF secretary Marion Hough said.

Since the Companion Animal Act was introduced in 1998 outlining micro-chipping and pet registration regulations, Ms Hough hasn’t seen the expected fall in the number of stray cats. Instead, the numbers of unwanted animals seems to have increased in the past decade.

May Spay is reserved for people who can’t afford to pay $150, but want to do the right thing. If it’s a success Ms Hough hopes that in the future the league will be able to offer it to more people and extend it beyond cats.

Information about the Animal Welfare League and details about veterinary clinics supporting May Spay is available by phoning 4261 1763 or 4261 1686.