By Selenathi Botha
Taking care of and protecting our animals should be our daily routine, which it is for Dr Nicola Clayton, owner of the local Grahamstown Veterinary Clinic. Clayton is one of four riders who will be raising money on 8 October for treatments for dogs, donkeys, feral cats, and wildlife.
The Butterfly Effect teamed up with Hi-Tec Security and Meta Clinic, with the idea of having a mountain bike race to get donations and raise funds so that they can continue to take care of animals.
Clayton, Todd Simon, Marlin Thomas, and Dylan Haarhoff will be participating in the G2C (Grahamstown 2 Sea) race to get donations and sponsorships. The race is between 58 and 72km and all the funds raised will go towards their different, chosen animal funds,
Clayton is cycling for the Dog Fund. The Grahamstown Dog Fund focuses on sterilising dogs belonging to dog owners living on government grants. By sterilising they prevent the birth of unwanted dogs and reduce the number of animals being taken into shelters and animal welfare organisations. Sterilisation also prevents dogs from roaming the streets or from being dumped by irresponsible owners.
Todd Simon is cycling for the Wildlife Fund, which covers the cost of any wildlife who are injured and need veterinary treatment.
Marlin Thomas is cycling for the Feral Cat Project which focuses on on trapping, neutering, and returning community feral cats and fostering sick, abandoned, or orphaned kittens.
Dylan Haarhoff is cycling for Grahamstown Donkey Medical which pays for the costs of treating sick and injured donkeys and sterilising them.
To sponsor riders, please make a deposit into this account, using the code for the fund you wish to sponsor:
After all the funds have been raised, the Meta-Clinic will give back to the community by having a Free Clinic Day for humans where people can have a basic health check-up for free. And they will also bless the people of Tantyi location with some non-perishable food items or hampers, some cat and dog food donations, and some sweet treats for any children who bring their dogs and cats for sterilisation.
Readers are also asked to donate food for the food parcels and sweets to Grahamstown Veterinary Clinic at 18 Park Road, or Hoof and Hound-Peppergrove Mall, or at Hi-Tec Security. For those of you who would like to make a dog food donation towards this exciting campaign which will accompany a doggie home after being sterilized please contact Marius Crouse of Mr Dog – Grahamstown/Makhanda on 083 409 5566 who will make available 1kg ziplock bags at R15 each.
