The Trinidad and Tobago Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (TTSPCA) is encouraging citizens to consider pet adoption.
The organisation is feeling the impact of animal abandonment and is urging pet owners to take responsibility, reminding them of the severe consequences dogs and cats face when left behind.
TTSPCA Chairman Sita Kuruvilla explained that an increasing number of dogs are being abandoned and, subsequently, suffer injuries and emotional distress.
She highlighted one case where two dogs were left outside the TTSPCA’s St. James location.
“This is KC, and this is Jojo. These were two puppies that were abandoned outside the shelter in the bush. Kristin here was able to get them after forty-eight hours of searching.”
The TTSPCA has rehabilitated many animals in similar circumstances.
Ms. Kuruvilla noted that while the shelter is operating at full capacity, adoption rates remain low as many people opt to buy from breeders. She urged the public to consider adopting a pet from the TTSPCA.
“All our dogs and cats here are healthy. They’re vaccinated, they’re wormed, they get regular veterinary checks. They are spayed and neutered, so they’re not going to be breeding. And we put a lot of effort into socialising and doing some basic training so that they are accustomed to being around people and being handled, and you know, they have some basic training.”
The organisation ensures that pets are paired with owners based on their lifestyle so that they can be given the best opportunity to flourish. Also, persons wishing to adopt must have a fenced property with an area for shelter.
Apart from adoption, Ms. Kuruvilla said the TTSPCA also has a foster programme.
“We have some regular people, regular fosterers, who help us out a lot. They will take, like, if we have young kittens or young puppies, or some that are a little compromised, maybe that need a little bit of extra care, we try to move them into our foster programmes. They go to a home, and they get individual attention and individual care until they are well enough to come back to the shelter and be put up for adoption.”
It costs the organisation about $6,000 per week to feed the animals, and persons are welcome to make monetary donations or donations of cleaning or food supplies.