OKEHAMPTON and District Cats Protection is launching a free neutering scheme for the month of May in an effort to reduce the number of future strays.

Last year the branch saw a big increase in the number of cats abandoned in the area, dealing with at least one incidence a month. Demand for places in the branch's cat sanctuary also increased dramatically.

This is in parallel with the charity's national figures, which has seen reports of stray cats or calls from people wanting to give up their cats increase by a third since 2009. This has been blamed on the hard times being felt by people across the nation as the country.

The branch has organised the free neutering service for any cats during May for those living in the EX20 postcode area.

Pat Sawyer, branch co-ordinator, is hoping the scheme will encourage those who cannot afford to get their pets neutered to do so in the coming weeks to reduce the future strain being put on the charity's resources.

She said: 'Now that spring is here, the natural world goes into reproductive mode, so please think about getting your cats or kittens neutered.

'It's not true that a female cat cannot get pregnant under a year old, they can conceive from about three months. It's also not true that a female cat should have a litter of kittens before she is neutered.

'We are aware that times are hard at present and that people are not having their cats neutered due to the cost.

'When we have a large increase in unwanted animals, this puts pressure on all the animal charities, it becomes more difficult for us to take them in, find them homes and they end up staying longer, putting further strain on our resources.'

For further details call 01837 55409. Feel free to leave your name and number on the voicemail facility and someone will return your call as soon as possible.