Microchipping proving best method of identification
Microchipping is promoted and made available by the Irish Blue Cross and is carried out by our in-house veterinary surgeon, Bernadette Doyle at our Inchicore base.  Needy pet owners are invited to have their pet/s microchipped at a reduced cost of €20.00.  More owners are choosing permanent identification that simply involves the painless insertion (similar to vaccination) of the microchip beneath the pet’s skin.  Once a pet is microchipped, the trauma and risk of loosing it is greatly reduced.   All veterinary practices and dog pounds will scan lost pets to check for microchips.  The unique code held on the microchip will link back to the owner’s details contained on a main database.  Microchipping greatly assists welfare groups and dog pounds to reunite pets with their owners and it reduces the likelihood of healthy dogs being destroyed for want of identification.

Low cost neutering scheme
The Irish Blue Cross runs a successful all year round low cost neutering scheme in co-operation with private veterinary practices for pets of needy owners.  Hundreds of pets go through our scheme annually at just one-third of the normal cost.  The popular welfare scheme greatly reduces the level of unwanted litters of kittens and puppies.

During 2005, a total of 743 canine and feline neuters were carried out under the scheme. In 2004, the overall number of small animals neutered was 706 and the corresponding figure for 2003 was 615.  The figure for 2002 was 460.

Spay Week enhances neutering initiative
Spay Week (May 28th - June 3rd in 2006) is now a regular feature of the Irish animal  welfare calendar and has raised greater awareness for neutering of pets.  During Spay Week 2006, The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government once again showed its support of our work in this area by contributing €12,500 in grant aid.

Department figures in 2003 showed that 18,000 healthy dogs were destroyed through Irish dog pounds.  Spay Week is proving an important campaign for vets and welfare organizations to highlight the need to continue to reduce this figure.  It has been in decline since the year 2000 when it was recorded at 24,980.  However, greater numbers of healthy dogs are destroyed in Ireland than in the UK where 10,000 dogs were destroyed in 2003.

Spay Week October 2004 - Robin of Fair City was involved in a publicity campaign to highlight the need to neuter animals.

Referrals to private practice for life-saving operations
The Irish Blue Cross allocates significant funds, administrative time and effort to ensure that animals requiring surgeries and tests are cared for.  In many situations, pet owners faced with the prospect of unmanageable veterinary bills will turn to us for help.  In so far as possible and working within a restricted budget, we will do what we can to assist.

In 2005, 459 pets were referred from our mobile clinics to private practice for surgeries and tests through our subsidised referral scheme.  Participating veterinary practices generously discount their fees by one-third and their goodwill is matched with a contribution of one-third by the charity, leaving the needy pet owner with a manageable one-third to pay.

Many animals are restored to full health under the scheme.  It is of great benefit to those living on limited means who may have experienced a change in their personal circumstances or who simply find it hard to manage for economic reasons.   Each year, the number of pets obtaining assistance and the level of cost to the charity is on the increase.  Pet owners are referred to a participating veterinary practice in their neighbourhood. 

Dedicated levels of charity funding and the continued goodwill of the veterinary profession are vital to keep the scheme going.  An area of concern is the level of road traffic accident cases requiring our immediate assistance under the scheme.