NSW ANIMAL SHELTERS REDUCE CAT INTAKE DUE TO GLOBAL VACCINE SHORTAGE

A global shortage of feline vaccines has forced some animal shelters to turn away cats and kittens and led to a suspension of vaccination requirements for holiday boarding facilities in New South Wales, ahead of the Christmas rush.

Animal shelters, welfare groups and rescue organisations have turned away cats and kittens, two months into a global feline vaccine shortage.

The F3 vaccine protects cats and kittens against feline panleukopenia (cat parvovirus), feline calicivirus and feline herpesvirus (cat flu). It is considered a “core” vaccine, crucial to protecting cats with an unknown vaccination history, such as strays and kittens, with boosters administered every one to three years throughout the cat’s life.

The president of the Australian Vet Association, Dr Diana Barker, said while there “isn’t really a risk” in delaying the annual booster shot of a cat which regularly visits their vet, it’s “more difficult” for kittens and strays.

“We learned during Covid that herd immunity is important, and we’re relying on that herd immunity when we’re dealing with individual stray animals,” she said. “We have to be careful with any of our patients coming through, to make sure they’re not in contact with [a] stray cat.”

Barker said the best place for unvaccinated cats, and cats behind on their boosters, is safely at home.

“The best thing that I can encourage people to do is keep their cat inside,” she said. “Much like Covid, we want to try to protect ourselves, and we can isolate our cats if they are concerned. If your cat has had its kitten vaccinations and maybe one or two other vaccinations, [it] will have some level of immunity.”

‘Risk-based approach’

Aprile Wright, who runs an animal boarding facility near Blayney, said the vaccine shortage “hasn’t really changed anything” for her holiday boarders.

Boarding facilities, shelters and pounds in NSW have been made exempt from vaccine requirements until 31 January due to the shortage, with the state Department of Primary Industries calling on boarding facilities and shelters to take a “risk-based approach” to mitigating outbreaks.

“I’ve had customers mention the fact that they’re having trouble getting their animals vaccinated, but as long as the animals have been vaccinated previously, I can still accept them,” Wright said. “If they’re a young animal that’s never been vaccinated, they can come in … If all the other animals in my care are vaccinated, they’re not likely to pick anything up.”

Wright’s facility has specific quarantine areas to prevent the spread of viruses such as cat flu and parvovirus, and she maintains contact with her local veterinarian to triage any illness.

“I’ve been in the business for 35 years now,” she said. “The buck stops with me.”

It’s an intensive approach that she said has worked when supported with a lot of conversations with pet owners. So far, no one has cancelled.

Canine leptospirosis vaccine shortages (C2i and C7 – see footnote) have affected some dogs headed to out-of-home care throughout the year, but Danielle Haase, director of Diesel & Blue Doggie Daycare, said regular reminders have helped her clients avoid missing out. That is not classified as a critical shortage and it is now easing.

“Fortunately most of our customers aren’t affected by the vaccine scarcity. Our pups visit all year round and our system records the date and sends auto-reminders to our pawrents to update [their vaccinations] before the C5 expires yearly,” she said.

Dr Liz Arnott, the chief veterinarian for RSPCA NSW, said vaccinating pets on time was “crucial” to preventing the spread of infectious diseases and would lead to pet owners “saving large amounts of money, and large amounts of distress for you and your animal”.

“For less than a few hundred dollars to prevent, for example, canine parvovirus, you’re not up against the potential cost of $5,000,” she said. “It’s an exponential saving to get that preventive healthcare done.”

Arnott said there are small amounts of vaccines available for animals that are at a higher risk.

“Every veterinary clinic will be managing differently, and they’ll be working with owners to prioritise those most in need,” she said.

RSPCA NSW closed its doors in October in an attempt to limit the numbers of cats and kittens entering its care while vaccines are scarce. But the shelters are still full: 76 cats were seized and 550 cats and kittens were taken in across the state in November.

Other rescue organisations have texted carers, informing them they are unable to accept cats or kittens.

“We are vaccinating every cat and kitten that comes into our shelter,” Arnott said. “To make sure we have vaccines for cats that need us most, we are not currently offering vaccines to privately owned cats.”

The RSPCA’s private clients include people experiencing homelessness or domestic violence who require veterinary services, as well as those in hospital for extended periods of time, and animals seized by law enforcement. Arnott said more vaccines are expected in mid-December, but supply will remain limited.

“The advice we’ve been given is that the supply issue is resolved, with vaccines back to normal level by April,” she said.