By Laura Pillay
Africa-Press – Seychelles. Over 100 pet owners seized the opportunity to get their pets spayed in a mass sterilisation campaign held on Saturday, at the Music Stadium.
The clinic, organised jointly by non-governmental organisation ‘Be Kind Advocate for the Animals’ and the Ministry of Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment, was the ninth conducted within a couple of days by a team of eight Russian veterinary professionals.
Minister for Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment, Flavien Joubert, paid a visit to the site to express support for the veterinarians leading the initiative.
He expressed satisfaction with the turnout and the commitment of pet owners to contribute to the ministry’s strategic initiative of reducing the population of stray animals in Seychelles.
While the clinic initially had 97 appointments, the organisers were pleased to accommodate several walk-ins.
“I think this is a good sign and it shows that many people are interested in making the effort for animals in Seychelles,” Minister Joubert commented.
Despite the success of the campaign, Minister Joubert highlighted the severe shortage of veterinary professionals in Seychelles which proves to be difficult in delivering a quality and accessible service. The Russian team have been assisted by a small pool of local veterinarians from the department of Agriculture, as well as volunteers.
The minister also affirmed the ministry’s commitment to ensuring the continuity of the campaign, even with the various human, financial and logistical limitations.
He encouraged pet owners to take advantage of the free service, noting that future campaigns may require a fee, considering the substantial investment made in equipment and support for such initiatives.
As part of its efforts to address the issue of the growing stray population, the ministry plans to run a comprehensive campaign to educate the public on pet care practices, and population control measures.
The event was broadcast live on Pure907 radio platform, providing a unique opportunity for the audience to engage and understand the positive impact of mass sterilisation.
Team leader, Svetlana Broussova, urged pet owners to take responsibility for their animals’ well-being. She stressed the importance of proper care, pointing out issues like lack of grooming, fleas, and unaddressed health problems in some animals.
“I think this is now the time when the people should take all responsibility for their dogs, and stop dumping the kittens and dogs in the forest and the rubbish bins,” she said.
Ms Broussova expressed dedication to continue working with governmental operations and organisations like the Seychelles Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) to provide shelter, care and treatment for unwanted animals, urging people to make use of such services, as opposed to abandoning animals.
Chairperson of Be Kind, Nicole St Ange, echoed the sentiment, emphasising the need for pet owners to properly care for their pets.
She commended the Russian team’s dedication and efforts for the numerous clinics over the past few days, especially considering that the conditions under which they are working are starkly different to what they are used to back in Russia.
“We are very satisfied with their cooperation and happy that they are here to do this,” Ms St Ange said.
While challenges such as logistical organisation and financial aspects persist, Be Kind hopes to conduct sterilisation clinics every two months.
The organisation presently relies on support from private entities and volunteers to continue their animal welfare initiatives.
Source: nation.sc
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