WHEN Charmaine Dorfling from Uitenhage saw a clip of local businesses feeding destitute people in the lower-income areas and townships, she noticed that there were many domestic animals in these areas.
Dorfling was concerned by this, saying: “If people can’t feed themselves, they will definitely not be able to feed their animals. They love their animals as much as anyone else, and it must be heartbreaking for them to see their animals starving.”
She immediately got her friend Jeanne-Marie Wallace on board and the two of them climbed on to several community social media platforms, requesting donations of dog and cat food. The response was overwhelming and within two days she had enough food to distribute.
The Superspar Despatch sponsored 1 000 plastic bags and she and Jeanne-Marie started packing in dog and cat portions. The two then went to Reservoir Hills in Despatch to feed every dog or cat they could find. The community received them with open arms.
Dorfling has engaged with the community on clean and available water for the animals and contacted the Uitenhage SPCA regarding sick dogs she had found.
She delivers food relief for animals in Uitenhage and Despatch areas.
