With Christmas fast approaching, Campaspe Animal Shelter is urging locals to consider adopting a pet this festive season.
Every year thousands of animals in Australia are taken in by animal shelters, with many animals sadly being surrendered during the festive season as families set off on holidays.
The shelter’s team leader Angela Bavich said there were many benefits to choosing to adopt a pet from an animal shelter.
“They’re all desexed, microchipped, vaccinated, flea treated, wormed and behaviour and health assessed, and it ends up cheaper in the long run,” she said.
“It’s also good to save a life as well, and it's very rewarding. It’s always nice to adopt from a shelter.”
The adoption process is very easy and can be done within a single day by appointment.
If people have other pets at home, they are encouraged to bring them to the appointment to check if they will get along with the adoptee.
Once adopted, the new pets must be registered with the council by April 9 of each year.
The shelter’s Home for the Holidays Adoption Drive will run from December 4 to January 15, offering significant discounts on the cost of pet adoption; more details will be available from council’s website.
Angela said it was important that people were adopting for the right reasons and were prepared to take on a pet for the long term.
“Just make sure that you’re in a situation to be able to adopt a dog or a cat. Especially with dogs, make sure you have a good backyard — and time,” she said.
“We have a few puppies and kittens coming through at this time, so make sure that you are adopting them for life and not just when they’re cute and small.”
The shelter currently has 21 dogs and 12 cats that are looking for new homes.
There are plenty of pets to choose from at Campaspe Animal Shelter, such as the delightfully playful Brogan, a staghound cross kelpie who has been a long-time resident at the shelter.
The two-year-old canine thrives on affection and enjoys ear scratches and will return the love his new owners show him with lots of cuddles and happy playtime hours.
There are also some newer and smaller additions at the shelter, such as Rocky, a male staffy cross, who enjoys a cuddle in your lap when he’s not trailing around behind you to keep an eye on what’s happening.
To take a look at all the animals currently at the shelter, visit https://www.campaspe.vic.gov.au/Business/Council-businesses/Campaspe-Animal-Shelter/Adopt-an-animal
To book an appointment with the animal shelter or to inquire about adoption, contact 03 5480 3005