Tuesday, 18 June 2024

 Sarah CONNOLLY (Laverton) (15:45): I would like to take this opportunity to say what a pleasure it was to visit the Westside Community Desexing centre just a few weeks ago. The centre was fortunate enough to receive not one but two grants from the Animal Welfare Fund, amounting to $100,000 in total that it has now received from our government. These funds will be used for the purchase of safe and reliable transportation vehicles for cats and kittens as well as to provide responsible pet education to the community.

Westside Community Desexing originated in 2020 when doctors Ann Enright and Penny Hocking crossed paths while volunteering at a desexing clinic. Since opening they have desexed over 5000 cats in the west and prevented the birth of potentially more than 33,000 kittens. In Melbourne’s west there are close to 180,000 cats owned by residents, while 60,000 to 80,000 are strays. To minimise the number of cats and kittens entering pounds, affordable and accessible desexing is required. With the goal of addressing cat overpopulation and reducing euthanasia rates in unreserved areas, Westside Community Desexing is on a mission to desex the west. By addressing the root causes of overpopulation and reducing euthanasia rates, desexing not only enhances animal welfare but also contributes to building healthier and much more sustainable communities, particularly in Melbourne’s west.