Microchipping provides best form of identification
Microchipping is promoted 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 pets microchipped at a reduced cost of €20.00. More owners are choosing permanent identification which simply involves the painless insertion (similar to vaccination) of a 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 that is now operated in-house at our Inchicore small-animal clinic. 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.

Referrals of sick pets for life-saving operations
Due to the opening of our new small-animal clinic at Inchicore, we are taking many of our mobile clinic referred cases in-house. The new small-animal clinic is proving hugely popular amongst qualifying needy pet owners who take their pets to us for low-cost surgeries, X-rays, dentals and other procedures. However, because of the unwavering demand for low-cost veterinary services, we still operate our external referred cases scheme run in co-operation with private veterinary practices.

Significant charity funds are allocated each year to our referred cases budget so as to ensure that as many animals as possible requiring surgeries and tests receive the care they so desperately require. 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 possibly can to assist them.

Private veterinary practices join with us in providing low-cost surgeries by generously discount their fees by one-third. 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 Blue Cross referred cases 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 can not manage vets bills due to the economic downturn. Each year, the number of pets obtaining assistance and the level of cost to the charity is on the increase.