Welcome to the latest instalment of Life at the SPCA. The last couple of months have continued to be challenging, but have seen another successful prosecution and huge improvements in your SPCA Centre, including completion of the borehole and a very generous donation from many businesses and members of the general public, of the solar pump and solar array needed to provide water to the SPCA Centre.
The latest prosecution relates to a horrific case of puppies being bludgeoned to death with bricks by their owner who justified his actions by saying that he was drunk and even assaulted SPCA staff when we were rescuing the puppies. Sadly the injuries were so severe that only one puppy survived. The court, after reviewing the evidence sentenced the accused without hesitation to an eight-month jail term.
We are very pleased with the outcome of this particular case as it continues to reinforce a very strong message that the Grahamstown SPCA will not stand for any form of animal cruelty and will work tirelessly to bring those responsible to account. We continue to be very grateful to the support of the local vets and in particular Dr Jimmy Lang, whose assessment of the puppies was invaluable in this particular case.
On a positive note, having successfully prosecuted this individual, it was a lovely ending to be able to re-home this month the surviving puppy to a lovely home, where she has settled in well and is receiving all the love and care she deserves.
We have also been very busy on our other inspectorate work this month and have been travelling far and wide to assist animals in need, by doing proactive inspections and investigating cruelty complaints out in Patterson, Bedford, Adelaide, Glenmore Valley and here in and around Grahamstown.
In addition to impending completion of the solar pump installation, building work has been gathering pace and has seen very generous donations received from Makana Brick, BUCO, Build It, the Rotary Club, Hells Riders, Amatola Quarry, King Sand, the local community as a whole and Carara.
We continue to be so very grateful for all the support we are receiving, which is helping us immensely to further improve our facilities, security and to enhance the SPCA Centre. Ultimately, this project of building work will bring the facilities up to world class level allowing us to cater for the ever growing needs of the animals and the community as a whole. We are looking for further donations of building materials, building skills and staff, carpenters, architectural and building design support and green energy solutions. By supporting us with this you are helping improve the lives of so many animals and people within the community who depend on us.
Education, continues to be an essential part of all the work we are doing and it was wonderful to be able to welcome Holy Cross School to the SPCA Centre. They really enjoyed their visit to the Grahamstown SPCA Centre and given the multitalented bilingual team here at your SPCA we were able to provide the whole educational experience to the kids in isiXhosa. This was particularly important for the school as they teach in isiXhosa.
We continue to see significant influxes of animals and we are constantly looking for food donations and are extremely grateful for any we receive. On a positive note, these last months have also seen a large number of animals re-homed which has been fantastic and it has been wonderful to see them happily settled into their new homes. For all updates and photos regarding our successful adoptions please visit our Facebook Page.
Other businesses continue to tirelessly support the SPCA, with fundraising including Madhatters Coffee Shop and Noom, where you can by books to support the SPCA. There are other businesses who help by acting as collection points for food donations including Blu Robin, Pam Golding and Madhatters Coffee Shop.
Our next major fundraising event will be the Dinner Dance at Graeme College on 7 October, with music by Pieter Naude and the Lumo Dog Walk on 14 October, and we look forward to seeing you there. There are still tickets available for the dinner dance and please contact us on 046 622 3233 for more details. The cost per person is R130 and includes a light meal.
We have also been chosen as the recipient for Santa Paws for this calendar year, for which we are extremely grateful and encourage all to support their events over the coming months.
We are so humbled and grateful for all the continued support of our community with the money, food, blankets, books, items for our shop and the support of local businesses who help to keep our bakkie running and provide much needed assistance with veterinary help, grounds maintenance, cat litter, building work and building materials, trailer hire and all manner of other services and products, without which we would not be able to carry out the much needed work that we do.
Thank you so much for all your continued support for your SPCA.
We continue to encourage people to get involved with your SPCA Centre and give the greatest gift you can by volunteering. We are always looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help out at the Grahamstown SPCA Centre, with fundraising and many, many, many other roles. For more information please come in and chat to one of our enthusiastic staff.
Please follow us on Facebook and have a look at our adoption photo albums. This is where you will find write ups and pictures of all the animals we have up for adoption.
As the summer approaches please remember the danger of leaving pets in vehicles. On a 29⁰C day for example, the temperature inside your car, even with the windows slightly open, will reach 38⁰C within 10min and 48⁰C within 30min. A dog or cat can only withstand a body temperature of 41-42⁰C for a very short time, before suffering irreparable brain damage or death.
For all queries including emergencies, please contact us on 046 622 3233. For general enquiries, please email us: spcaght@gmail.com. Opening hours 9-4 weekdays; 9-12 Saturdays and 9-11 Sundays.
