SPCA

SPCA Otago staff are outraged after a dog owner left seven newborn puppies to die in a cold Dunedin lane at the weekend.

The Otago SPCA will be encouraged to apply for a three-year civic grant from the Dunedin City Council as part of this year's annual plan process, despite withdrawing services previously offered to the council.

A big-hearted appeal to prospective pet owners is taking place this week as part of a nationwide Valentine's Day animal adopt-a-thon, with a Dunedin launch coinciding with the official commemoration of one of the Otago SPCA's most ardent local supporters.

A record number of animals have been adopted out by the Dunedin SPCA this month, after a massive public response in the wake of several instances of dumped pets earlier this month.

Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull has called for a report to clarify exactly what the Otago SPCA will do with any funding it gets from the city council, now it will no longer house stray dogs or deal with feral cats.

Abandoned animals at SPCA facilities around Otago have left staff and voluntary carers struggling to comprehend why owners will not take responsibility for their pets, after a horrible holiday season.

The horrified reaction from the public to the story about puppies being left to die in a Central Otago rubbish tin on a hot day has somewhat restored an SPCA inspector's faith in humanity.

Dumping a litter of nine 5-week-old puppies in a rubbish bin beside Lake Dunstan on a scorching hot day was an act of "unbelievable cruelty".

They may be irresistibly adorable, but SPCA Otago wants to remind people that kittens are not just for Christmas.

A new dog rescue charity is being set up to rehouse stray dogs no longer taken by Otago SPCA.