SPCA and York High collaborate

GEORGE NEWS - The education unit of the Garden Route SPCA and York High Animal Club joined forces to better the lives of dogs in the Geelhoutboom and Sinksabrug farmlands. Over the last six months they have approached farmers in the area and offered to help their workers take better care of their dogs.

Many of these animals were found to be on short chains, they had no or only minimal shelter, and were underfed and not sterilised.

By approaching the farmers they established good relationships with them and an agreement was made that the farmers would restrict the workers who live on their farms to two dogs per home and ensure that these dogs have acceptable shelter and are sterilised.

"We are positive that this will make all the difference in this area," said York Animal Club leaders Gillian Lee and Hayley Kayser in their report to the SPCA. "Sterilisation of these animals is of paramount importance and four sterilisations have been done so far by the SPCA veterinarian. We are in the process of getting more dogs sterilised."

The SPCA education team, inspector Gerda Reynders and Vanessa Lucas, assisted the learners in devising a three-week animal care course for the children of the farm workers and everyone received a certificate of completion at the end.

The York teachers made a plea for blankets for the kennels and any warm clothes for the farm children (ages ranging from five to 16 years). They are also urgently looking for old curtains with which they cover the kennel floor mats and any unwanted or spare kennels.

They will ensure it goes to a dog in need.

Contact can be made through York High School Animal Club, or contact Gillian Lee on 084 597 8411 or Hayley Kayser on 072 204 9788. Animal-related donations may also be dropped off at the SPCA in Ossie Urban Street, Tamsui Industria. For more information, call the SPCA office on 044 878 1990.

Farm children eagerly assist with the new kennels.