A number of dogs and cats are still desperately in need of forever homes.
According to the Queenstown SPCA chairperson, Adele Reynders, 34 animals have been rehomed this year.
“We were not allowed to do any adoptions during the lockdown period, which affected us in an extremely negative way,” she said.
Reynders, however, added that the pandemic did not affect the well-being of the animals.
“Animals in our care are our first priority, so their health was taken care of, but the fact that adoptions were slow contributed to stress levels.
“The upside, though, was that with staff staying on the premises during the lockdown, they were able to spend more time with the animals and take them out for some exercise and socialising.”
While appealing to the community to remember the local SPCA when adopting pets, Reynders also shared advice on some of the things one should to consider before adopting a pet?
“While sharing a home with furry friend can be a great joy and very rewarding, it does require time and work.
“A pet is a lifelong commitment. If you cannot offer a pet love, food, security and shelter, then adoption is not for you.
“These animals live and breathe the same way we do. If we are cold, they are cold. Bring them in,” Reynders said.
“A pet is a wonderful companion and is the only one that loves you more than they love themselves.”
Pet owners are also encouraged to consider the size of their property, the other pets they own and the age of their children when choosing their pet.
Due to the pandemic, the local shelter had to make the difficult choice to cancel some of their fund-raising activities this year, which has left them financially constrained.
“We were able to have a few book sales and two cake sales and also a ‘Build a Tree’ initiative, where a Christmas tree was built with tinned foods,” Reynders said.
“It has had a huge impact on our finances as we have not been paid by the Enoch Mgijima Municipality since June last year and that has made us totally reliant on sponsorships and donations from the community.”
The SPCA also has a charity shop at the Pick n Pay Mall in Brewery Lane.
“So if you are cleaning out your home please do not throw stuff away. Pass it on to our shop. We also have a debit order facility that not many people know about.
“You complete the form and we do the rest – no need for you to stand at the bank,” Reynders said.
