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27.05.2010/ spay week 2010
Spay Week Ireland 2010May 30th - June 6th
Dear Colleague,
I write to seek your support for Spay Week Ireland 2010, the annual public awareness campaign which aims to reduce Ireland's high destruction rate of unwanted cats and dogs by persuading more owners to spay and neuter their pets.
As we prepare for this year's campaign, I am very pleased to report that the very welcome downward trend in the numbers of dogs destroyed in Irish pounds is continuing, with the latest figures showing that 6,476 dogs were put to sleep in 2009, representing a drop of 35% compared to 2008.
While the latest figures are welcome, our destruction rate is still unacceptably high and continues to be much higher than that of our nearest neighbour in the UK. It should also be acknowledged that the figure would be even higher but for the tremendous work that a variety of organisations undertake to find new homes for unwanted dogs.
While no official figures exist for numbers of stray or destroyed cats in Ireland, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest that the country's feline destruction rate is even higher than the canine equivalent.
This year we are asking you to help get Spay Week's message across by printing the attached poster and displaying it in your office, clinic, reception area, hall or indeed any prominent location within your community. If you can put up additional posters, please feel free to print as many as you need.
To facilitate printing, we attach the poster in A4 sized, PDF format, in both colour and black and white versions. The poster, together with larger A3 sized versions, is also available to download by visiting www.spayweekireland.ie
Spaying and neutering are clearly essential to ending the destruction of unwanted pets. But they can also have important health benefits for both cats and dogs, making it a natural choice for owners. Further information on the health benefits of spaying and neutering are outlined in the attached report.
Spay Week Ireland 2010 is once again supported by the Veterinary Ireland Companion Animal Society (VICAS) and international dog welfare charity, Dogs Trust, which since launching its nationwide, subsidised neutering scheme in 2005 has played a significant role in reducing Ireland's unwanted dog population. This continues to be available and offers dog owners on means-tested social welfare benefits the opportunity to have their dogs spayed or neutered for a nominal fee of €20. Members of the public with queries about the scheme can call Dogs Trust Neutering Hotline on 1890 946 336.
Thank you for your support.
Yours sincerely,
___________________________
Pete Wedderburn BVM&S CertVR MRCVS
Organiser, Spay Week Ireland 2010
Committee Member VICAS
For further information about Spay Week Ireland, contact:
Jan van Embden, CN Media
Tel: 01 282 9853 01 282 9853
Email: jan@cnmedia.ie
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