SPCA launches $50,000 Pet Food Support Programme
Support programme aims to help owners, rescuers and community feeders affected by Covid-19 crisis
A day after the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) launched a pet food support programme for animal caregivers with financial problems, some 300 people expressed interest in signing up.
SPCA said the main purpose of the Pet Food Support Programme was to help pet owners, rescuers and community animal feeders who are struggling financially because of Covid-19 and to ensure their animals have enough food.
It was launched last Tuesday and the programme will provide $50,000 worth of pet food to caregivers.
The amount comes from the SPCA's own funds and it hopes to help at least 1,000 animals.
SURGE IN STRAYS
The New Paper had reported last Wednesday that there had been a surge in stray cat and dog conflicts during the circuit breaker period.
The National Parks Board (NParks) had said such cases rose from an average of seven cases monthly from January to May to over 30 cases in June alone.
Dr Tai Yesun of Nam Sang Veterinary Clinic had said the increase in stray cats and dogs in the community could be due to people being unable to afford to care for their pets and abandoning them.
SPCA executive director, Dr Jaipal Singh Gill said they have not analysed the numbers yet, but there are some who applied for the programme because they had lost their jobs.
He said: "There are also freelancers who have had their incomes reduced and others who have been put on unpaid leave."
He added that, so far, most of the applicants have applied for cat or dog food. Many are community animal feeders.
The programme is expected to run for three to six months and SPCA aims to deliver the first batch of pet food next week.
SPCA is working with Kohepets, an online pet food and supplies store, which will be delivering the food to successful applicants on a monthly basis free of charge.
Pets such as cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, birds and fish that are kept legally qualify for the programme. Requests for other species will be considered on a case by case basis.
Dr Gill said: "The Covid-19 crisis has affected many of our livelihoods. No one should have to choose between feeding themselves or the animals they care for.
"We hope that providing this support can help to reduce pet relinquishment."
Those interested can apply online via bit.ly/spcafoodsupport, e-mail foodsupport@spca.org.sg or call SPCA at 6287 5355.
An ongoing online fundraising campaign at www.giving.sg/society-for-the-prevention-of-cruelty-to-animals/help_feed... had raised about $13,600 as of yesterday morning.
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