The Galway SPCA is run by an elected Management Board and has at present in operation a Community Employment Project sponsored by FÁS comprising of 2 shop workers, 3 Administrators, one Education and Development Worker, four Field Officers, four Sanctuary Workers, a Maintenance Worker and a Supervisor. Volunteers also work with the Society.
The society provides a range of services which include running an emergency animal shelter, providing advice, information and assistance to the general public on all issues regarding animals, responding to all reported road traffic accidents involving animals, providing an animal rescue service, and running educational workshops for young people. The animal shelter cares for sick and injured and very young animals who are abandoned or whose owner is unknown, with the purpose of re-homing. The advice work involves giving the general public advice and information with regard to the proper care of animals, providing financial assistance, issuing discount vouchers towards veterinary costs and placing animals in kind, loving homes. The animal rescue service involves coming to the aid of all animals, domestic and wild, and fowl who are reported to us as being in distress. 1,200 schoolchildren took part in our education workshops last year.
Our statistics for the year show an increase in the volume of work and an increase in the number of people who received advice and assistance.
| 1996 | |
| Total calls received | 3,600 |
| Cruelty cases investigated | 544 |
| 1997 | |
| Total calls received | 4,200 |
| Cruelty cases investigated | 751 |
| 1998 | |
| Total calls received | 6000 |
| Cruelty cases investigated | 751 |
The decrease in cruelty cases investigated in the past year as compared to the previous year can be attributed to the cessation of the FÁS Community Employment Project from June 1998 to October 1998.
The office received over 6,000 calls. These calls consisted of people reporting alleged cruelty cases, offering to give a home to a rescued animal, seeking assistance to find a home for an animal in their care, reporting animals lost, found or injured and asking advice or information regarding animals. All alleged cruelty cases reported to us were investigated by our Field Officers, who are also called out to assist any animal involved in a road traffic accident. Some cruelty case investigations resulted in Garda involvement and subsequent prosecution.
Over 200 dogs, cats and kittens were successfully placed in good homes.
1,200 school children have taken part this past year in educational workshops organised by our Development/Education Worker, and she continues to pay weekly visits to schools.
A pet neutering scheme is in place whereby unemployed people and senior citizens can get a 30% reduction in the cost of neutering a dog or cat. Over 200 people availed of this discount scheme in the past year.
Sales from the GSPCA charity shop and fundraising events were also successful this year. All proceeds from the fundraising events are lodged directly into the Animal Sanctuary Account.
The organisation received a TSB Community Award for the work done in the past year, and we also received a commendation in the FÁS Western Region Community Initiative Awards.
