Shelter dogs get free grooming for Adoption Day

AS the Trinidad and Tobago Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (TTSPCA) prepares for Adoption Day on Saturday, one business owner is providing free grooming services for all the furry good boys and girls seeking a home.

The TTSPCA's event – Adoption Day – will begin at 9am and end at 2pm and is sponsored by Purina. The shelter is at 21 Christopher Samuel Drive, St James.

Over the past week, the TTSPCA has been posting photos to its social media pages of some of the shelter animals professionally groomed by Scratch and Sniff Pet Store and Garden Centre.

Owner of the business Brenda Pakeerah told Newsday she regularly helps foster animals from the shelter, so she was very excited to help even more.

She started the business in 2020 and began offering grooming services in September.

"We do a lot of business with each other, so I just figured it would be a great help if we could spruce them up so they can get a home faster.

"It was something nice to give back to the animals."

So far, she said, the company has groomed around 15 dogs.

In addition, those who adopt an animal on Saturday will get a voucher for a free grooming session. This will include a bath, fur trim, nail trim, massage and ear-cleaning.

TTSPCA chairman Sita Kuruvilla told Newsday she thinks Pakeerah's initiative is "wonderful.

"She's always been a big supporter of the shelter, and I think services like this greatly encourage people to adopt as well.

"They do a great job at showing people how lovely the animals are."

Those interested in adopting can speed up the process on that day by having videos or photos of their yard to show officials.

Home checks are an important part of the animal adoption process to ensure the environment is clean, safe and fenced.

The adoption fee for cats older than a year is $200 and for all other animals, $300. The fees cover the spaying/neutering of the animal, a collar, ID tag and vaccination.

Kuruvilla said there are currently 96 dogs and 42 cats at the shelter.

Volunteers regularly train and socialise with the animals, who have been rescued from the streets or from abusive homes, dumped on their compound or even given up by their owners.