Malawi last week joined the rest of the world in celebrating World Spay Day.
World Spay Day highlights the benefits of spaying or neutering dogs and cats to prevent unwanted puppies and kittens and to help control the stray animal population.
Lilongwe Society for the Protection and Care of Animals (LSPCA) led the celebration by offering free rabies vaccinations and spay and neuter operations.
The LSPCA team of veterinarians, nurses and education staff operated on over 30 dogs and vaccinated nearly 50 others, and offered care advice to owners to help them look after their pets.
LSPCA veterinarian Tinotenda Razemba said his organisation believes that if dogs are well cared for, they can protect the family and the household, and be a close friend.
He said spaying and neutering is an important way to control stray pet populations.
“It is also important that all dogs are vaccinated against rabies. This protects the dog, the owner and the community from this fatal disease. Stray dogs can carry rabies and cause other problems such as road accidents, so owners are urged to spay or neuter their dogs so that unwanted puppies do not add to the stray dog population in their communities,” he said.
LSPCA is Malawi’s leading charity focusing on the welfare of dogs, cats and farm animals and they also treat wildlife in some cases.
It was founded in 2008 and the first animal welfare organisation in Malawi. It works closely with the Department of Animal Health and Livestock Development and the Lilongwe City Assembly.
It offers veterinary equipment in Malawi and takes in abandoned or stray dogs and cats and finds them new homes for them.
