Low-income families receive discounted dog de-sexing

• April 6, 2016

Volunteer vet nurse Michael Lindsay and volunteer vet Dr Jessica Beer perform surgery on a Desexy Revolution candidate. Photo: Alyson Young Photography

Organisers of an annual dog de-sexing event hope offering subsidised operations will help low-income families in Auckland.

A total of 25 dogs will be de-sexed for $25 each this month as part of the Desexy Revolution event.

The event, which is organised by the Human Rescue, Rehabilitation and Rehoming Trust (HURRAH), will see four vets and eight vet nurses volunteer their time to help tackle the issue of dog over-population.

HURRAH founder and trustee, Chrissy Clements, said the idea came about due to there being numerous benefits that come from desexing dogs.

“It became apparent there was a need to de-sex dogs in the community and so the event became an extension of what we were doing through HURRAH.”

Last year, six of the events were held. Applicants must hold a Community Services Card in order to be eligible for the subsidised service.

Whangarei full-time carer Vanessa Dallimore found out about the event on Facebook, and successfully applied to get her dog de-sexed next week.

Miss Dallimore said she thought it was a great opportunity to get her dog the operation, which she otherwise may not have been able to afford.

“It is $300 in Whangarei for me to get her [the dog] desexed. I’m a full time caregiver for my nana, so I don’t get a lot of money,” said Miss Dallimore.

Vet nurse Michael Lindsay will be volunteering to help with the procedures, and said he got involved to help out families.

“Being able to provide subsidised de-sexing for these people makes it possible for them to utilise that service,” said Mr Lindsay.

“They are so grateful as they are so resource-constrained and wouldn’t be able to otherwise.”

Mr Lindsay said the benefits of de-sexing dogs are twofold, as the operation stops dogs going through unnecessary pregnancies, but also helps reduce the over-population problem.

“There are the benefits of de-sexing to the dog itself, but then there is also the benefits to not having extra puppies that we can’t find homes for, so those unborn puppies don’t have to go through the stress of over-population.”