NPO collects pet food for Durban North families in financial strain
The organisation was approached by families that have been retrenched, lost their jobs or taken salary cuts.
ANIMAL rescue NPO, The Blue Bundu Brigade (BBB) is collecting donations of pet food to assist families that have been hard hit by the Covid-19 lockdown. Durban North resident, Maria Van der Merwe runs the organisation with Shelly Tanner and Karen Janisch.
“We operate in the Durban North, Pinetown, Queensburgh areas but try and assist wherever we can. With the initial lockdown, we were approached by families that have been retrenched, lost their jobs or taken salary cuts. These families had approached us asking for help to feed their pets,” she said.
Van der Merwe distributes pet food in the Durban North area.
“We are now digging into our own pockets to help so if there are any kind souls out there that can assist with a bit of dog/cat food, this will be so greatly appreciated. Some of these families feed their pets before themselves,” she said.
Also read: Hundreds of stray animals admitted to SPCA over festive season
Van der Merwe said she can collect donations or they can be dropped off after 5pm at her home. Tanner said she handles pet adoptions and helps the community serch for lost pets.
“The sad part is that we still have families who have not come right and sometimes donations coming in are slow, I’m still helping three regular families. Also lockdown became puppy season and that is when I started taking in the puppies that were abandoned or needed a lifeline,” she said.
Janisch said BBB also runs vaccination outreach programs.
“This is run very strictly and a qualified team do the administration of vaccines. We set the clinics up and network and assist on day. We believe that primary care makes a big difference with the community,”she added.
Also read: Animal rescue NPO closes doors due to funding
BBB began when a boerbul named Blue went missing in February 2019 after venturing into a nature reserve in Westville. As the community banded together to find Blue, BBB founders decided to start a NPO.
“After 10 days in the reserve she was found, a little thin, tired with a couple of wounds, but alive. The tears of joy from a whole bunch of strangers flooded social media, the dedication and the coming together of total strangers to search for Blue was phenomenal. We decided to create a rescue organisation called the Blue Bundu Brigade, in honour of Blue the boerbul and all these amazing people,” said Van der Merwe.
For more information, WhatsApp Van der Merwe on 072 262 2795.
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