CSPCA playing catch up
Gemma Good
While Cavan’s main animal welfare charity has continued with its vital work over lockdown, they are playing catch up when it comes to the funding underpinning it.
Yvonne Ford, a volunteer at the Cavan Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Charity Shop is delighted to be back behind the till. The shop on Thomas Ashe Street has only been open for five months of last year and just over one month of this year, having reopened on May 17.
The periods of closure have had a dire impact on their finances with the shop losing nearly one third of their average income last year.
“No real fundraising could happen because people couldn’t meet or anything so we’ve taken a big hit that way,” said Yvonne.
“The shop is one of the main sources of income for the rescue.
“We lost over €20,000 last year,” she said.
As a direct impact of the Covid 19 pandemic, the shop lost €23,000 of their average income in 2020. This trend has continued into 2021 with 19% (€14,000) of their income already missed out on. Funding is vital for Cavan SPCA to pay for food, veterinary bills and care needs of the animals.
The animal charity noticed that many people got new pets during lockdown, some inadvisably. Tina Boyle and Geraldine Allen at the Cavan SPCA rescue centre were overwhelmed by the number of rescue animals, which is why it is so important to have the shop doors reopened.
“You found that a lot of people were getting kittens and puppies,” recalled Yvonne.
She lamented that many people buy pets without considering the care needs of the animal, and gave the following advice to prospective owners.
“You have to be sure that it’s the right thing to do. I know they are cute and everything but it is a long-term thing.”
She urged people to get their animals neutered or spayed.
“It’s so important because it can become a massive problem,” said Yvonne explaining cats can multiply rapidly. “If a female cat has kittens, those kittens at four months can reproduce and that just carries on.”
Yvonne praised the kindness of people who donate to the shop on a daily basis.
“Pretty much everyday people are bringing stuff in which is very good,” she said.
She reported the shop is very busy with regular customers returning and new customers coming in all the time.
They stock “everything you could think of” with women’s, men’s and children’s clothing and accessories for all occasions, kids’ toys and car seats, books of all genres, DVDs and CDs, jewellery and homeware.
Open every day except Sunday, Yvonne urged people to call in and see what Cavan SPCA Charity Shop has to offer.