Pets well looked after—S.P.C.A.

Press, 14 January 1982, Page 1

Pets well looked after—S.P.C.A.

Holidaymakers who leave their pets with Christchurch boarding, kennels are getting good service, say the S.P.C.A. and the Ministry of Agriculture.

It has been a busy holiday yet again for the owners of such establishments. Many said yesterday that they had been almost "overflowing" with pets.

"We have had some complaints from owners who have got their pets back and have not been happy, but generally the kennels and boarding places'are of a high standard," said a spokesman for the S.P.C.A..

If a complaint requires investigation of a premises, a suitably qualified society inspector obtains a warrant from the Ministrv.

A recent retirement has meant that there is no qualified inspector in Christchurch, but that will be rectified soon. The Ministry is investigating complaints in the meantime. “Our concern is with the animal's welfare,” said Mr

Colin O’Brien, a livestock officer in the Ministry. “A few” complaints were received each year, but many proved to be unjustified.

No serious cases of illtreatment at boarding kennels had been investigated. Normally. the Ministry would make the kennel owner call in a veterinarian if an animal or animals were unwell but that step had not been taken — “and we make sure they do it." For the Ministry to seek the closing of a boarding establishment, conditions would have to be “so bad they are unbelievable." said Mr O’Brien. That had never happened.

He agreed with the S.P.C.A. that the standard of such establishments round Christchurch was good. “Cats often pine for their owners, especially if they come in here for the first time. Siamese and Burmese cats are especially bad.” said the owner of one pets kennel. She and other proprietors

said that liquid feeding and "a lot of love” were used to nurse the animals to health if they had not been eating. But cats could survive for three days on their own body weight without eating anything. Most proprietors called in a veterinarian if animals showed obvious signs of sickness. But for pining the methods described were used before medical attention was sought. Some owners did not appreciate what efforts had been made to look after pining or sick pets, said one proprietor. Others did not realise that their pet had the condition before it came in. “Four out of five cats we get have fleas when they come in. Owners deny it when they pick them up," he said.

Prices for keeping pets in boarding kennels, catteries, and other establishments vary according to size. For cats and dogs, the daily rates start about $1.70. rising to about $3.50 for bigger breeds, such as a great dane.