Gerald Lynch
Westside Community Desexing is lending a helping hand to seniors who may be struggling to pay for their pets.
In a state government supported initiative, the Sunshine not-for-profit organisation is offering $20 desexing services for cats, for owners with a valid pension or concession card.
Westside Community Desexing founder Penny Hocking said the cost of living crisis has seen a record number of pet surrenders as people face not being able to afford pet care, and she hopes this service will keep as many cats as possible in homes and out of shelters.
“We are well aware that the cost of living crisis for age pensioners is particularly acute, with 40 per cent of single age pensioners who are renting living in poverty,” she said.
“They are forced to make very difficult choices to make ends meet at the moment, and this can impact the welfare of their companion animals in the form of poor nutrition, lack of health checks and preventative treatments of fleas and worms, and a complete inability to afford desexing and microchipping everyone needs to do.”
“That’s why we developed the project to help our older community members. We all know that owning a pet brings enormous benefits to senior people, providing them with companionship and affection, it improves their mobility, and of course it gives them someone to talk to.”
Ms Hocking also said that she understands transport can be an issue for many seniors due to both accessibility and affordability, so the organisation has committed to picking up cats to desex them.
“We are working with community leaders who work with senior people who may live a distance away,” she said.
“We can go out to the community and pick up cats with some help from the community, take them to our clinic and then return them, because we know organising transport can be tough.”
Regular desexing costs can be upwards of $250, providing a strong financial relief for those in need.
