Two determined animal-welfare supporters will take on the 42,2 km Sanlam Cape Town Marathon on 24 May dressed in an unusual outfit – an SPCA rescue vehicle suit – all in an effort to keep real rescue vehicles on the road.
Muhammed Asgar Dalvie and Muhammad Sanglay have launched the “Put some Petrol in Our Tank” campaign to raise R42 000, the amount needed to fuel one SPCA Inspectorate vehicle for a full year.
Dalvie hails from Rondebosch East while Sanglay resides in Lansdowne.
The campaign highlights the critical role SPCA Inspectorate vehicles play in responding to cases of animal cruelty, neglect and emergencies across communities.
Marathon mission
According to the SPCA, a single Inspectorate vehicle can travel up to 60 000 km annually while responding to reports of abandoned, beaten, chained or starving animals.
Beyond fuel, maintaining a vehicle includes licensing, insurance and repairs, costing around R120 000 each year.
“Every rescue starts with a turn of the key. No petrol, no rescues. It’s that simple,” campaign marketing says.
The organisation says its inspectors are on standby 24 hours a day, every day of the year, but without fuel they cannot reach animals in distress.
Dalvie and Sanglay hope their marathon challenge will encourage the public to support the cause. While their rescue-car costume may appear humorous, they stress that the reality facing abused and neglected animals is far from funny.
“Every kilometre they run represents R1 000 in fuel that keeps a real rescue vehicle on the road,” the SPCA explained.
Rescue fuel
Supporters can contribute at different donation levels, ranging from R150 to help “start the car, start the rescue”, to R4 000 to keep a vehicle running for a month.
Donors can also “take the wheel” by contributing the full R42 000 needed to fund one vehicle’s fuel for a year.
The SPCA currently operates 12 Inspectorate vehicles, all relied on to carry out rescue operations and enforce animal protection laws.
The marathon runners are appealing to the public to help them reach the R42 000 target before race day on 24 May.
“Your donation today is the difference between an animal left in pain and an animal rescued in time,” the campaign states.
For more information, email SPCA spokesperson Belinda Abraham at comms@spca-ct.co.za.
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