The Plight of the Lost and Found, by Laura Nutley RVN

The current economic climate has affected almost every aspect of life. Unfortunately it is becoming more and more apparent to those of us who work within the animal care industry the effect it is having on animals who we are here to look after.

The number of stray and unwanted animals and also those animals who require veterinary attention beyond the financial means of their owners we see has significantly increased leading to a great deal of frustration and heartache for all those involved.

Here at Grove Lodge we see many stray and unwanted cats and dogs brought in by concerned members of the public many of which are sick or injured. We endeavour to do everything we can to prevent these animals from suffering and bring them back to health with the hope of them one day finding loving new owners but this cannot be done without the help and support of local animal welfare charities.

Every stray animal or animal signed over in the event of owners being unable to afford veterinary treatment has to be ‘taken on’ by a charity such as WADARS, Cats Protection, the RSPCA or Dogs Trust who then take on the responsibility for the animal’s care, its medical treatment, boarding and hopefully eventually rehoming, costs that in total can amount to hundreds or even thousands of pounds for each pet. These charities all rely on donations and have limited means so times are becoming increasingly hard due to an increase in unwanted animals and a reduction in charitable giving. Please kindly consider these charities for any donations, fund raising and legacies.

Sadly many of the ‘stray’ animals that come through our doors are most likely owned and well-loved pets but without means of identification it is very difficult to locate their owners who are in many cases no doubt missing their pet terribly. Every animal brought into us or reported lost or found is put onto a database in the hope that the owner will get in contact but sadly more often than not this does not happen and the animal ends up at a rehoming centre.

An extremely useful aid in identifying stray animals is the presence of an Identichip. A small microchip is injected underneath the skin in a relatively painless and quick procedure that can be undertaken during a consultation. The Identichip stores a unique identification number registered to a national database that holds all of the owner’s contact information. Once the Identichip has been implanted it is there for life (unlike a collar with a tag that can be removed or lost by the pet). Every animal brought to us as a stray is scanned using a special microchip scanner and if a chip is found we are able to obtain the owner’s details 24/7 enabling us to reunite them as soon as possible. NB: It is important to remember to update your contact details with the database in the event of them changing e.g. moving house. Identichips have enabled us to reunite many owners with their pets.

Something else to consider to help reduce the number of stray animals is neutering (spaying in females, castration in males). Neutering helps to reduce numbers of stray and unwanted animals in two ways, the most obvious being reduction of unwanted pregnancies. Although kittens and puppies are cute, with rehoming centres so full already is it really fair to bring more animals into the world when there are loving animals already waiting for someone to take them home? If you are considering getting a pet please look into getting a rescue animal. Secondly, unneutered animals have a tendency to roam in order to find a mate, going further from home, increasing their risk of being hit by cars, getting into fights with other animals and getting lost.

 Another reason that animals end up in the care of animal charities is that sadly owners are simply unable to afford their care. Unfortunately there is no NHS for pets and veterinary treatment can become expensive especially following major trauma such as road traffic accidents where animals need intensive care and surgery to repair broken bones. We would always like to give an animal a chance if it has a chance of making a full recovery and sometimes charities are able to give assistance but with limited means it is not always possible. The best and most responsible thing that we can all do to prevent this scenario is to take out pet insurance for our animals, a monthly payment that provides insurance for unexpected veterinary bills in the case of accidents or illness. When money is tight an extra bill each month may seem like a lot but when you consider the veterinary bills of a cat involved in an RTA can reach thousands can you really afford not to?

Advice in the event of losing your pet:

• Contact local vets and animal charities
• Contact the local council/dog warden
• Talk to neighbours and get them to check sheds and garages

Useful telephone numbers if you have lost your dog or would like to rehome a rescue animal:

Worthing Borough Council Dog Warden 01273 263144

Adur District Council 01273 263058

Worthing and District Animal Rescue Service 0300 3030 999

Dogs Trust Shoreham 01273 452576

Cats Protection 03000 121 212

Cats Protection Worthing Branch 01903 200332

Worthing Cat Welfare 01903 883179

WADARS Wagathon

It’s that time of year again! Join us on Sunday 4 September at 11 am for the ever popular WADARS Wagathon.

A leisurely stroll over Highdown Hill, a stop at the pub for a snack and a pint and a leisurely stroll back to across the Hill is a lovely way to spend a Sunday lunchtime and raise lots of money for Worthing and District Animal Rescue Service.

Sponsor forms are available from Grove Lodge or you can pay £5 per person on the day.

Dogs are very welcome – don’t forget the poo bags!

Delightful doggy day out!

Come along to the Dogs Trust Open Day on Sunday 17 July 201 and say hi to the Grove Lodge team. The event is being held on the Adur Recreation Ground and runs from 11 am to 4 pm. It’s a great day out for all the family with plenty to see including dog agility (have a go yourself!), raffle, tombola, doggy dash, refreshments and lots more!

 The Rehoming Centre will also be open between 12.00 midday and 3.00pm so you can see behind the scenes.  The Dog Show classes will include Waggiest Tail, Best Child Handler, Prettiest Bitch, Most Handsome Dog and Most Adorable OAD to name but a few. Classes are £1 to enter.  Parking is on the Adur Recreation Ground and costs £2 per car. For further information, contact Dogs Trust on 01273 440856.