Joint effort required to tackle the overpopulation of companion animals

With the overpopulation of companion animals in our communities, especially in Northland, desexing has long been a priority for us at SPCA.

Through initiatives like our Snip n Chip Programmes, Mobile Desexing Clinic, the SPCA Desexing Grants, and partnerships with local vets, we’ve managed to desex countless animals in the area over the past few years.

The number of unwanted animals being born is a constant challenge and problem, and not one that we can solve on our own.

Originally from the Netherlands, Dr Jorrit Verver is a veterinary surgeon, and now director of Bay of Islands Veterinary Services.

In 2023, Jorrit reached out to SPCA for assistance, to enquire about how we could work together to make an impact on the number of unwanted animals being born.

A year on, Jorrit has shared more about the journey he embarked on, and explained why he decided to partner with SPCA.

Read on for Jorrit’s story.

When I moved to New Zealand seven years ago, I was planning to stay just one year. I’m still here, and the Far North is my home now, where I work as a veterinary surgeon at BayVets. My young kids are kiwis, and I feel proud and passionate about the Far North region.

In the Netherlands, pet ownership is closely monitored, and welfare issues are almost non-existent.

I had never seen a pup with parvovirus in 10 years practicing in The Netherlands, and never had to deal with a real welfare case before moving to New Zealand. Unwanted puppies and kittens are a rare occurrence in Holland.

The contrast in the Far North region could not be more obvious.

In the Far North we deal with welfare issues on a weekly basis, parvovirus is rife, and the region is flooded with unwanted and unplanned litters of puppies and kittens. There are areas with semi-feral dogs, and stray cats are everywhere.

The Far North is an area with lots of social economic challenges, and this is reflected in the welfare status of the animals.

The first step in improving welfare issues in the Far North is to reduce the number of puppies and kittens being born. Desexing is the only way to significantly improve animal welfare long term in this region, and encourage responsible pet ownership.

A year ago, we at BayVets decided to reach out to SPCA for help.

Rebecca Dobson, SPCA’s National Desexing Programme Manager, embraced our plans straight away. She understood the great need for desexing in the Far North, and work got underway with SPCA providing this critical funding.

Initially, the funding was for 300 dogs and 300 cats. The response was overwhelming! And we desexed nearly 600 animals in three months. SPCA then extended the funding so that we could target specific areas with the highest need.

In the last 12 months we desexed close to 2000 animals at Bay of Islands Vets thanks to SPCA, and we’ve started seeing improvements in the geographic areas targeted with this project.

While it can be slow and tough work, we’re definitely making an impact. Rebecca has been a great supporter of this project, and we’re very grateful for her work - we intend to keep making a difference together going forward.

There is still lots of work to be done and this requires an ongoing effort, and we still struggle to reach some of the remote Far North villages. It would be great to have more vet clinics partner with the SPCA, so that our joint impact can reach even further across the country.

In the last year we have prevented thousands of unwanted pups and kittens being born in the Far North, thanks to the SPCA. This will go a long way in improving animal welfare in the region, and that deserves a big shout out.