Fully-invested PRO comes on board at Toti SPCA
I was impressed with the work Toti SPCA was doing.
Amanzimtoti SPCA has a new public relations officer in Sarah-Jane Bow.
Sarah-Jane was born in England but has lived in SA for 40 years.
She matriculated at Bryanston High School.
“I have lived in Umkomaas for 14 years. I live on a smallholding in Willowglen in the heart of the rural community. I have three rescue pigs, a couple of rescued-from-the-pot chickens, six dogs and three cats,” said the animal lover.
Sarah-Jane has been married to Mike Brown for 16 years and they have six children.
“I previously worked at CROW and Durban and Coast SPCA as their PRO and education officer.
I was impressed with the work Toti SPCA was doing and saw they have an active volunteer base. For the past two years, it was the one place I wanted to work at, but I was too shy to contact them directly. I began sharing SPCA posts and Tracy Girling asked if I would apply for the position.”
Sarah-Jane said although she is shy by nature, that disappears when she is passionate about something. “I have a background in television and modelling, so making presentations to large crowds is something I enjoy.
To know I represent one of the most progressive SPCAs in the country and promote the fantastic animal welfare work that Tracy and her team deal with on a daily basis motivates me.
This is a small SPCA with a big heart. The community knows they will be helped in a compassionate and understanding manner – up to a limit. When there is animal cruelty involved, the situation is dealt with immediately with no holds barred on the legal implications for the animal’s owner.”
Sarah-Jane reckons her biggest challenge as PRO is education. “To all schools in the area, I am available at any time to give presentations to pupils – class by class or to the school in its entirety.
Children who love animals make compassionate adults when they are older. If children learn the importance of sterilisation and inoculations, that animals have feelings just like they do, fresh water is essential for every animal and Toti SPCA is here to help them if they have an animal welfare problem, then I have invested in a positive future for all animals.
If children learn the importance of sterilisation and inoculations, that animals have feelings just like they do, fresh water is essential for every animal and Toti SPCA is here to help them if they have an animal welfare problem, then I have invested in a positive future for all animals.
Fundraising is also a huge issue. At the moment I am focussed on our Scottburgh charity shop as it as not only a place to sell items to raise funds but also a satellite information station. I need to motivate people to sort through their unwanted items and donate them so that funding from the shop can grow.
I would also like to raise funds specifically for outreach projects. In the rural areas people have no transport and they are not allowed to take their sick or injured animals in a taxi. We need to be able to go to these people but this costs money.”
Toti SPCA will hold another adoption day soon, watch the press for details. On 8 October it holds its annual collection day. “We need people to come forward and volunteer for a few hours and shake a tin,” said Sarah-Jane.
“We also have a large animal food donation campaign during September and October with Nu Metro at Galleria, combined with the release of the animated movie ‘The Secret Life of Pets’, which will be lots of fun.
And we have our summer edition of ‘Music by the River’ on 27 November.
Sarah-Jane believes the Toti public should support SPCA because it is the largest and oldest animal welfare organisation in South Africa. “Amanzimtoti and surrounds is an animal loving community and Toti SPCA represents this community.
This is an SPCA that really cares for the animals and the community, and I have never been prouder to represent such a wonderful, meaningful organisation.”
