NOUPOORT resident, Courtney Stassen, has always been passionate about animals, and about 10 years ago, she became aware of the many problems caused by overpopulation.
“I used to say that I wish I could have them all sterilised – well, someone listened, help was offered, and it escalated from there,” she explained.
This led to the founding of Noupoort Animal Care (NAC), and from almost a one-woman show, Courtney now has a team of committed helpers.
As well as sterilisations to prevent unwanted litters, they are able to help the animals in many other ways.
With help from the Department of Agriculture, they have also been able to arrange rabies vaccinations, and they dip and deworm puppies.
Courtney is extremely grateful for the help she has received over the years from Dr Eddie Snyman, a vet from Grootfontein Agricultural College, who has patiently taught her a great deal about animal care, and often given his time and expertise at no cost.
Erma Voigt, of CSI in Graaff-Reinet and Reinette Smith, from the Namaqua Dog and Donkey Foundation, have also helped tremendously with funding for sterilisation campaigns.
A new venture for NAC has been the establishment of a home for unwanted feral cats.
About three years ago, Courtney noticed a sudden increase in the feral cat colonies, and was very upset that many of these were trapped and then euthanised.
Stassen gradually managed to introduce a method of trapping and then sterilising these cats, and initially kept them in a volunteer’s outside room.
She was then approached by someone from Hanover about a feral cat population there, and the end result has been the construction of a purpose-built cattery to house these unadoptable ferals, along with some other ‘difficult’ cats.
This of course came at a cost, and so far she has only been able to raise about R15 000 of the R26 000 cost. Once these costs have been covered, the next step is to enclose a grassy play area for them.
The current count of animals in Stassen’s care is 35 who are up for adoption, 20 she has adopted herself over the years, seven patients, 17 cats in the cattery, six cats at home, two cats in her shop, and two dogs that sleep over in their storeroom at night – here is a lady truly dedicated to animal welfare.
