Winter aid for animals
LINDEN – Two animal shelters receive aid from local residents.
The Society for People Environmental Animal Kindness (SPEAK) on 10 May delivered about 300 blankets, pillows, duvets, food, doggy beds, carpets, doggy jackets, leashes, toys and hair shavers to Friends Of Rescued Animals (FORA) in Krugersdorp and Irwin Animal Rescue Centre.
“We collected individually over a few weeks, and the response from the people that I reached, was phenomenal. The world rocked for this cause. Greenside, Parkhurst, Victory Park, Linden, Emmarentia, Craighall Park Facebook pages reached so many amazing people,” said Linden resident and SPEAK representative Kim Blanchard.
According to Blanchard, both of these shelters have more than 200 dogs each and FORA also keeps about 100 cats.
“Both of these shelters need people to visit them and adopt a pet. There are dogs that have been born in these shelters, and lived there their entire lives. Some are old, some are partially sighted, some have three legs, but they are all healthy and in need of a second chance,” she added.
According to another SPEAK member Candice Ronald, this initiative was also held to show the public how they can help animals in various shelters.
“We hope to increase our initiatives to help animals such as fund raising, because there are a lot of animals there that need help,” she said.
Irwin’s centre manager Tanya Sequeira said “We have about 245 dogs and it is difficult to keep them in winter. Some of the dogs mess the blankets and we have to continuously rotate them. It is a wonderful thing that SPEAK did for us and we need and always appreciate the help”.
According to Shayne Suttie of FORA, “The organisation would not run without public support. Nothing we get from the public goes to waste”.
Details: Anneke Malan anneke@speaksa.co.za
