WISCA - Waiheke Island Society for the Care of Animals

27/08/2026

Coming soon. Pop in and see us Saturday 5th.
More details https://www.wisca.co.nz/events

26/08/2026

Happy International Dog Day from all of us at WISCA! 🐾

Today we're celebrating every wagging tail, muddy paw, and loyal heart on Waiheke Island. To all the dog owners who love their pups with their whole hearts — thank you for giving them the safe, happy homes they deserve. 🐕❤️

26/08/2026

21/08/2026

🦆 Bird Flu Alert: What to Know and What to Do

Only two confirmed cases so far, but it's worth keeping this on our radar. Further cases are considered highly likely, so it pays to know what to watch for now rather than scrambling later.

🚨 If you find sick or dead wild birds:
Do not move or handle them. If you see 3 or more sick, injured, or dead birds in the same area, do not touch them — report it immediately to:
📞 MPI Exotic Pest and Disease Hotline: 0800 80 99 66

⚠️ Symptoms to watch for:
Lethargy, loss of appetite, discharge from the nose or eyes, sudden death within a flock, neurological signs (head tilt, loss of balance), respiratory distress (difficulty or noisy

🍳 Food safety:
Chicken and eggs remain safe to eat.

🐦 Companion birds:
Keep them indoors, don't feed wild birds on your property, and avoid sharing bowls, toys, bedding, or cages between households.

🐔 Backyard chickens:
Keep them in a covered coop (roof or netting), protect food and water from wild birds, use dedicated clothing/boots for handling them, and always wash your hands afterward.

🐕🐈 Cats and dogs:
Keep dogs leashed and supervised, keep cats indoors where possible, and don't let pets investigate, handle, or eat sick, injured, or dead birds or their droppings, feathers or carcasses.

The bottom line:
For most pet birds and households, the risk stays low as long as you limit contact between domestic animals and wild birds. Infection is most likely with sustained, close contact with large numbers of sick birds. While rare, bird flu can affect people, dogs, and cats after prolonged close contact with a diseased bird — so a little caution goes a long way.

Stay alert, don't handle sick birds, and report anything unusual to MPI.

19/08/2026

Fresh off the printing press. WISCA's latest newsletter. Go to [email protected] to subscribe, or https://www.wisca.co.nz/wisca-newsletter

19/08/2026

Make sure your dog's microchip is registered on the NZ Companion Animals Register and also registered with Auckland Council. They are two different things. Please phone WISCA on 0275395107 or email [email protected] if you would like your pet microchipped and registered on the NZ Companion Animal Register 🐾🐾

19/08/2026

🐾 A Huge Thank You to Our Community! 🐾
To everyone who has donated cat and dog food and pet supplies to WISCA — thank you. Truly. Your generosity helps keep pets fed and families together during tough times, and that kind of support doesn't go unnoticed. We're so grateful to have a community that shows up for animals in need.
With appreciation,
Heather, WISCA Animal Advocate