By Jayn Corral

 

That dang coronavirus did not go away after 15 or even 30 days as they said it would. Now there is the 15-pound quarantine thing, where people staying at home gain 15 pounds. It looks like the virus is also responsible for an explosion of kittens and puppies. Sterilization blitzes have been canceled. Cats and dogs in the campo and other areas are free to create more kittens and puppies, many of which end up being abandoned and homeless. 

 

Take advantage of being quarantined at home and adopt a pet! You’ll have more time to devote to your new family members and help them adjust to their new surroundings. You still have many decisions to make, such as where and how to select your new pet. In addition to liking how your new pet looks and feels and relates to you, please also consider whether your new pet is healthy.

 

That free kitten that you saw online or heard about from your neighbor—well, was it tested for feline leukemia or vaccinated? Probably not. The SPA uses the most reliable test on the market. It is an expensive test, but we believe it is one of the best things we can do for San Miguel de Allende cat owners, adopters, and the San Miguel cat community.

 

At the SPA, all kittens are tested for leukemia at the appropriate age of 12 weeks. Older kittens and cats are tested upon intake. In San Miguel, very few, if any, other veterinarians or rescues or shelters take the proper precautions to detect and protect kittens and cats from feline leukemia.

 

In the United States and Canada, the feline leukemia infection rate is approximately 3 percent of all cats. The rate in San Miguel is significantly higher, a fact that should be of great concern to kitten and cat adopters.

 

Only you can help eradicate this debilitating disease by testing and vaccinating the cats you adopt elsewhere. Our adoption fee is 500 pesos. For cats, the fee includes sterilization, all current vaccinations, deworming, feline leukemia/FIV test, and the feline leukemia vaccine and booster. Please check our website (www.spasanmiguel.org/adopt-me-cats) to find healthy, tested, and vaccinated kittens and cats, such as Annabelle, Bento, and Boni, to become members of your family.

 

Meet them at the SPA, Los Pinos 7, Monday–Saturday between 11am and 2pm, 415 152 6124. Please note that, for now, only one person may enter the SPA for an adoption interview. That person must wear a mask and stay at least six feet away from SPA personnel.