Spay a Stray Campaign
For many years Al Barsha Veterinary Clinic has been actively at the forefront of the TNR (Trap Neuter & Release) action in the UAE. We work closely with animal rescue organisations and provide them with weekly slots to have cats weekly spayed free of charge. On top of that, we have each year in February our Spay a Stray Campaign. And again we ask our direct clients to jump to action and help us spay or neuter even more cats. Many of you have already booked a slot to participate in our campaign. Thank you!
Why February? Why spay or neuter? Why not only rescue organisations?
Although cats in the UAE breed the full year-round and you can always find kittens at any time of the year on the street, we have selected February. February is chosen as it leads up to summer and is still not too hot for cats to be trapped by less experienced trappers. Summers are hot and hostile to all but especially to highly pregnant cats & young kittens and for the kittens, it is a hopeless time to find a home. A Spay & Neuter campaign early in the year does reduce the number of kittens we see in the Summer.
Spaying & Neutering is chosen as an important way to reduce cats suffering on the street for the following reasons: it reduces catfights and spread of disease, it reduces cat pregnancies resulting in reducing the number of newborn kittens on the street, herewith reducing overpopulation and direct burden to the people in the area. Fewer Cats on the street, fewer accidents with cats, more tolerance towards the existing cats, and better health for all. Cats have an important role in our society, not only as pets, but they also contribute in a natural way to pest control.
This time is a good time for all people to be involved, it makes you aware of what is happening in your neighborhood, it clarifies the hard work that is being done and achieved by the rescue organisations & vet clinics and it relieves their pressure on a very important time of year, springtime. Ensuring that they can get more work done and more cats secured safe for summer.
At ABVC we have years of experience and in general each month of February we are able to spay & neuter around 150-200 cats. What does a day in the Spay & Neuter month of February in our clinic look like and what does it mean for our staff?
Each day open for our Campaign starts with receiving our cats between 7-9 am. Our trained staff check the cats for obvious other problems. Our team tries as much as possible to separate them into male & female groups and estimate their weight and age group. When this is done the cats will be one by one anesthetized. This is done with the help of special squeeze cages, as most of the cats are very wild and stressed. The cages prevent the cats and our staff from getting hurt. When sleeping all cats receive a full checkup in which we check eyes, ears, teeth, if they have worms, wounds e.o. Cats will after this initial assessment be prepared for surgery and anything that came out of the initial assessment will also be taken care off. In the meantime, their cages are cleaned so they go back in a clean bed. Of each cat the left ear tip is “tipped” (clipped of) this is a universal sign that the cat has been spayed or neutered and as such is taken out of the reproduction and can therefore be left to roam the streets without the risk of getting kittens or making kittens.
During this campaign our clinic is very busy, each cat comes in a trap, which requires space and as we see many cats this month, we are cramped for space. As they are from the street, often scared and stressed, and sometimes in their cage for a few hours, they do smell. Fortunately, we can count on all of you to support us with positive encouragement. This makes our staff feel we are all part of a Team effort to keep the streets of the UAE free of suffering cats, an important part of the lives of people working & living in the UAE.
Would you like to know how you can help? Contact us at stray@abvc.ae
