Did you know that selling or buying animals on the side of the road is illegal? These animals, usually very young puppies and kittens, are exposed to extreme weather conditions, suffer from severe dehydration, malnutrition and are taken away from their mothers before they are even capable of opening their eyes. This in turn leads to medical and behavioural implications later on in life. In extreme conditions, some of these animals have tested positive for rabies.
If you witness someone selling an animal, please report the location and time of day to LSPCA on 0995 027 815
There are three main reasons why you should “Adopt; Don’t Shop”:
1.Because adoption helps more than just one animal
The number of euthanized animals could be reduced dramatically if more people adopted pets instead of buying them. When you adopt, you save an animal by making them part of your family and you open up shelter space for another animal who might desperately need it. LSPCA has a limited kennel and cattery capacity and takes in hundreds of stray, unwanted and abused animals each year. By adopting an animal from us, you’re making space for other dogs and cats that need a home.
When you buy a pet from the side of the road, you are not only deny a homeless pet a home, you are supporting an illegal operation that thrives on poor animal welfare and health care, and will continue to operate until people stop buying them. Animals that are sold on the side of the road are housed in poor conditions with improper medical care, rarely fed (and thus are starving and suffering from malnutrition), and are often very sick and behaviorally troubled as a result. The moms of these puppies are continually bred from until they are of no use, then inhumanely disposed of. When you adopt a pet, you are saving a more than one life.
2. Because you will spend less money
All animals that come to LSPCA are admitted and go through a medical and behavioural screening process. When you adopt from LSPCA, the cost of sterilisation, first vaccinations and micro chipping is included in the adoption price saving you a minimum of MK55,000 if you adopt a dog and a minimum of MK40,000 if you adopt a cat.
3. Because purebreds have their own medical and behavioural problems
The term "stray” can generate feelings of uneasiness; a possession that has been rejected and must have something inherently wrong with them. In fact, LSPCA’s rehoming shelter is an excellent place to acquire a safe and healthy pet because our primary aim is to promote responsible ownership as well as provide a high standard of medical care and animal welfare. Animals may come into our rehoming shelter with an illness or a problem, but they are screened and cleared through quarantine before being eligible for adoption. Moreover, a mixed-breed animal is likely to live longer and cost less in vet bills than a pure breed as many purebreds are prone to developing health problems, ranging from breathing difficulties (Pug), hip dysplasia (German Shepherd) and enlarged hearts (Doberman and Rottweiler) .