Until the end of May, low-income families living in Tallinn, Harju County and Viljandi County can sterilize or neuter their cats at a discounted price. A surgery of a male cat costs 15 euros, while the owners of female cats have to pay 25 euros.
The campaign will be carried out in cooperation with the Finnish animal rescue organization Rekku Rescue Ry, Sõle Animal Clinic and Piia Vilu’s Small Animal Clinic. All in all, it is hoped to sterilize approximately 100 kings and queens of mice.
Surgeries are performed only in the aforementioned clinics. Sõle Animal Clinic is located at Sõle 86/Kopli 69A in North Tallinn. Piia Vilu’s Small Animal Clinic waits for patients at Tallinna tänav 19/21 in Viljandi city centre. Pre-registration at emergency telephone number 53 230 230 is required.
“Of course, we assess the cats’ health status and inform the owners of their pets’ possible diseases,” said veterinarian Ketlin Sõstra from Sõle Animal Clinic. “People do not have to be afraid, because these are relatively simple surgeries which naturally involve possible risks, but nowadays the risks have been reduced to a minimum.”
According to veterinarian Piia Vilu, cats have a phenomenal breeding capacity and even such a thing, which at the first glance seems to be a minor issue, like making one hundred cats sterile means over a ten-year period that hundreds of thousands unwanted kittens will not be born or killed.
“The situation in rural areas is extremely bleak in some places and cat colonies of more than fifty cats are not rare even to this day,” stated Kristel Täär, head of Viljandi County volunteers of Animal Rescue Group. “People living in the country tend to take the easy way out and drown kittens in a bucket of water, although this is punishable pursuant to criminal procedure. I do not recommend people to risk and it is easier both for cats and people to make cats sterile without any pain.”
The promotional campaign starts May 15 and lasts until May 30. Surgeries are performed on workdays. Animal Rescue Group suggests in particular the owners of female cats to hurry. People who have no means of transport, who are physically handicapped or elderly people are also asked to definitely contact Animal Rescue Group to find a solution to take their pets to the clinic.
More detailed information and pre-registration by telephone: 53 230 230 or by email: info@animalrescue.ee