ALL CREATURESFRIENDS of the Animals helps all types of animals.
They rescue and re-home, educate, issue free engraved discs, assist with the cost of veterinary treatment and offer fostering and voluntary driving services.
They have de-flea’d, wormed and inoculated thousands of animals, but it is their subsidised spaying and neutering service which they believe to be the most valuable aspect of the their work.
Founder of the Friends of the Animals charity, Helen Sinclair, said: "On the Island we come across many people who are struggling to get by on low wages, on benefits or who have debts.
"Our intervention is frequently the difference between veterinary treatment being attainable or not. We have done more than 20,000 spays/neuters and are willing to help owners with the cost."
Unspayed bitches can have two litters every year and cats can have three. This means that just one unspayed cat, her mate and all the offspring producing just two litters per year, can in four years be responsible for producing more than 2,000 kittens. Un-neutered males spray and the smell is appalling and can sustain terrible fight injuries. The cost of treating the injuries is usually far less than the cost of the neuter.
Helen continued: "I can recall manning the telephones at another of our branches and my first three calls of the day were from people wanting to off-load a total of 28 puppies.
"On another occasion, I went to pick up a litter of puppies from a house in Worcestershire. As I was leaving, the lady said that she still had 15 puppies in a pen in the garden from a previous litter, which she had not managed to re-home.
"A couple of weeks ago someone asked my assistant if the we were interested in buying the Staffie pups she had failed to sell. We declined but we offered to help get the mother spayed. On another occasion, we were asked how long does the spay last."
Helen added: "Quite simply, there are too many animals and not enough good homes and when people say to me they love having puppies/kittens, I ask if they love them enough to keep the whole litter, because if not, they will be contributing to the large number of unwanted animals, desperate for the chance of a home."
For further details or for a free newsletter you can ring 01983 616144, Tuesday to Saturday between 10.30am and 5pm, or check the website
www.friendsoftheanimals.co.uk