From KwaZulu-Natal to Mpumalanga, Mbombela now has its very own Humphrey, a dog that has become famous on the Umhlanga Promenade, with more ‘pups’ in other locations.
Humphrey was adopted from the SPCA Durban by Alwyn Immerman in 2011. Together, Alwyn and Humphrey have been spreading the word about the SPCA in order to raise funds for the organisation.
Humphrey is no young pup anymore, but in his lifetime he has raised more than R1m for the SPCA.
Cue a Lowvelder, Karen Bower’s visit to Umhlanga this year, and the Lowveld now has one of Humprey’s ‘pups’, too.
“While on holiday on my early-morning walk along the Promenade, there was this statue of Humphrey and how he had been adopted from the SPCA and the monies he had raised.
ALSO READ: IN PHOTOS: Curro Nelspruit puts on panto perfection
“Recognising the details on the plaque, I went to the pharmacy and spoke with Alwyn, the pharmacist and Humphrey’s owner, to find out more. He introduced me to Humphrey and I just broke down. Knowing that this couldn’t just stay in KwaZulu-Natal; that we had to get a statue for Nelspruit too.”
And so the ball started rolling from there, said Bower. “I approached Heinrich Human [Kodak Camera shop] at the Crossing Centre, asking him if he would be interested in sponsoring or getting shops to sponsor the cost of a Humphrey.
“That he did. With Christopher Christie coming on board from Crossing SPAR, too, with the funding Alwyn needed. Alwyn himself managed to find sponsors to transport the statuette for the SPCA, as well as for other things that required funding. The raising of the monies required was unbelievable, as it meant all things were positive to go ahead.”
ALSO READ: Penreach and partners join hands and hearts to celebrate Mandela Day
When Bower was able to get details for Anmari Jones from the Nelspruit SPCA committee, they were one step closer to getting Humphrey here.
The statue’s home was made at the entrance of Westend SPAR, where Humphrey has already been collecting some donations.
On the statue’s plaque are all the banking details for deposits and a box for money to be dropped in right there and then.
Bower said she hopes and prays that Humphrey’s good deeds will continue in the city, and that it may become a huge contributing force to the SPCA.
