National adoption drive
For the second year in a row, the SPCAs in Namibia will be hosting ‘Clear the Shelters’ in June, most of the SPCA’s - Windhoek, Otjiwarongo, Tsumeb, Walvis Bay and Keetmanshoop - on Saturday June 4, and Luderitz and Oshana on Saturday June 25. Clear the Shelters is a major adoption drive, with many of the SPCAs offering reduced adoption fees and extended open hours, and multiple Adoption Counselors to attend to as many adopters as possible. The first 10-30 animals, depending on location, will receive a goodie bag sponsored by Hill's and Bravecto. Across the SPCAs in Namibia, there are currently over 300 pets waiting for their perfect match. These animals are mostly cats and dogs, and in Windhoek there are also rabbits and guinea pigs looking for new homes.
These are all incredibly deserving animals, and we hope that Clear the Shelters adoption drive can shine some light on the importance of adoptions and the wonderful difference and impact it has on the lives of the animals currently in the care of the SPCA.
The importance of adoptions
One of the SPCA’s core activities is its adoption program, effectively giving animals a second chance in life. Pets of all sorts, even if mainly cats and dogs, come to the SPCA for a variety of reasons, oftentimes at no fault of their own. The SPCA believes that giving these animals an opportunity to find a loving home is worth every home check, meet and greet, and consultations leading up to a successful adoption. We put a lot of emphasis on people meeting their right match; we all have different preferences and we want to help adopters make the right choice for them and their family, and on the flip-side, ensure a good match for the pet too.
Decline in adoptions
Just last year alone, the SPCA’s across the country provided a safe haven for over 5,000 new animals, over 4,000 of them taken in in Windhoek alone. Whilst nearly 500 of those animals were lucky enough to be reunited with their owners, the adoption numbers simply do not make up for the intake at just shy of 900 adoptions in the year; a 19% decrease in adoptions from the previous year.
Making the right choice for you and your family
Choosing to adopt an animal makes a direct difference in the life of that animal, and former shelter cats and dogs make up some of the most loving family pets. Not only does it make a world of difference for that one animal, but the adopter can be assured that the animal will have at least one vaccine (if not more), be sterilized, and have been given de-parasitical treatments. The staff consulting on the adoptions know the animals well and can give lots of information on the personality, the likes and dislikes of the pet, temperament and guide potential adopters in how the animal might fit in with their family and their lifestyle.