NEGLECTED PETS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 82, 30 December 1937, Page 6

NEGLECTED PETS

Appeal to Householders WJio Go Holidaying STARVING ANIMALS An appeal to Hastings householders to make prpvisipn fpr the^p(|*e of their pets before going away PU hqffday during tbe New Year period was made tpis morning by a resident interested in the welfqrp pf animals, fiP cQIPPla"lP(i bitterly of people. who left their pet§— dogs, cats, biFds and fowls— at hpme to fend. for themselyes. "Some people go away and leave their pets without making any arrangement for providing them with food ahd drink," he said. "One has only to strpll around the streets in the evening to §ee all the s|ray anirqals about. Thpre gre far more cafs apd dogs waudering about at this time of the year than at any other. The poor things are left to fend for themselves and the wonder of it is that nothing is done by the autfiorities to se'p that thp hpuseholders fully appreciate their responsibilities." It wa? agreed by our informant that often thp householder had a casqal word with a neighbour about lookfng after the dog or cat, but this, he cpntended, was not adequate. "Thpre should bp somethipg definite arranged," he declared. "But far worse are thpse people who go away for two or three weeks and leave the dogs chained up. It is all very well for a neighbour to take the dog water and food each dgy, but the animal has tu have exercfge, and shquld be pjroperly cpred fpr to other ways." He admitted that not all the people purposely ill-treated their pets in this manner. They were just careless. However, this carelessness meant suffering to the animals. "If people eannot provide for their pets when they want to go away, then they should not have pets, and they certainly do not deserve to hgve them," he said. The speaker pointed out that tfie Society for the Prevpntion of Crueffy to Auimplp had power to prosecqte people who went awa y aud left thpir pets unprovided for. This power wgs epforped iu some centres. In some centres arrangements were made for some place where pets could be left while their owners were away ou holiday and he ventured to suggest that possibly the S.P.C.A. ov the Tailwaggers Club might intprest themselves in this direction in Hastings and Napier and other places. Inquiries made this 'morning by the reporter revealed that facilities for th® pare of dogs while their owpers are holiday-making are provided at th® borough pound. A small charge fpr the service is made, and though no on® left a pet there this Christmas, several dogs were expected to come to hand for the coming week-end.