Farrah loves her furry friends

IT is said that the heart of a volunteer is not measured in size, but by the depth of the commitment to make a difference in the lives of others. This is certainly true for Redhill resident and founder of Feeding the Furballs, Farrah Khan Maharajh. The non-profit organisation (NPO) and PBO (public benefit organisation) provides rescue animals and rescue organisations with food and supplies. It is the first of its kind in KZN, and the Northglen News recently caught up with the 30-year-old to find out where it all started.

“I’ve always loved animals, and cats especially. Animals are loyal and always there for you. They give you unconditional love. At high school my friends would often tell me about litters they had, and I would assist where I could. They all thought I’d become a vet, but as I got older, I realised I could never face the difficult decisions they face,” the former Avoca Secondary School pupil explained.

Through her work with the SPCA and other organisations, Farrah registered her NPO in 2014 with the aim of helping rescue organisations. She is assisted by her mother and two other volunteers.

“There aren’t many people who do what we do. When I was thinking of the name for the organisation, I didn’t want my name, because this was about the animals. I wanted something catchy and I was pressed for time, but Feeding the Furballs just stuck. We are the first of its kind in KZN, and we have 28 rescue organisations who are on our beneficiary list. To put it simply, we are the Gift of the Givers for animals,” she said.

Farrah also approached a major retail store, which agreed to help sell her dog and cat food at cost price. She also funds much of what she donates from her own pocket.

“I can’t ask others to donate without giving out of my own pocket. We have some extremely generous sponsors, which has been a huge help. We always encourage people to come out when we drop off animal food to the various organisations so they can see and meet the animals they are helping. My ultimate goal would be to have donors dealing directly with the organisations, without me as the middleman, so to speak,” she said.

Farrah has nine cats, all of which have been rescued from dire situations. One of them, Pikachu, has even become a popular internet meme.

If you would like to assist the NPO, e-mail admin@feedingthefurballs.org or visit www.feedingthefurballs.org for more information.