Dog and puppies rescued by RSPCA

RSPCA Queensland has continued its call to Queensland pet owners to put desexing at the top of their to-do list during this year’s Operation Wanted Campaign.

Narla, a Toowoomba RSPCA rescue, and her puppies. Picture: Contributed

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RSPCA Queensland has continued its call to Queensland pet owners to put desexing at the top of their to-do list during this year's Operation Wanted Campaign. 

Running until August 31, Operation Wanted offers incentives to get pets desexed, including a 20 per cent discount on desexing procedures at participating vets and reduced pet registration fees with local councils across Queensland.

RSPCA Queensland spokesperson Michael Beatty said the aim of the campaign was to reduce the number of litters and pregnant pets abandoned on the streets or surrendered to shelters.

Less than 50 per cent of domesticated animals that come into our shelters have been desexed, which shows that many pet owners are underestimating the importance of the procedure," Mr Beatty said.

"It is heart-breaking to see the number of pets that are unwanted, despite the fact that pregnancies are easily prevented by a relatively inexpensive procedure that only takes a few hours and a single trip to the vet.

"As well as the impact on domestic animals, the over-population of pets in Queensland is contributing to feral and stray animal populations," Mr Beatty said.

"These animals have a massive impact on native species and the environment, so it's crucial that we tackle the problem at the source."

More than 180 veterinary clinics across Queensland are participating in Operation Wanted this year, as well as Brisbane City Council, Sunshine Coast Council, Ipswich City Council and Moreton Bay Regional Council.

Narla was surrendered to the RSPCA Queensland after she was discovered by Inspectors who were investigating a property in the Southern Downs region where more than 30 dogs were located living in inappropriate conditions.

Narla, a Toowoomba RSPCA rescue pup. Picture: Contributed

It is hoped the initiative will benefit animals like Narla, who was pregnant with puppies that her owners were not equipped to care for.

Narla and most of her litter have now been adopted by their fur-ever families, but her story still serves as an important warning.

"While this story has a happy ending, the pregnancy still took a toll on Narla because she was a young dog at the time," Mr Beatty said.

"If her owners had desexed her as soon as possible, the situation could have been avoided entirely.

"No pet should be left unwanted, so we are urging owners to take advantage of the discounted procedure and do their bit when it comes to caring for their pet."

As well as eliminating the risk of unwanted litters, other benefits of desexing include: reducing the risk of some cancers; increasing happiness; and reducing unwanted behaviours, such as roaming and urine spraying.

Operation Wanted has taken place annually since 2013. Last year, 20,000 pets were desexed between June 1 and August 31.

For more information, contact the Toowoomba RSPCA on 4634 1304. 

Originally published as Dog and puppies rescued by RSPCA