GEORGE NEWS - More than 100 dogs and cats were sterilised during a spayathon spearheaded by the George branch of the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA).
A total of 56 dogs were spayed at the Touwsranten community hall on Saturday 8 June and 50 cats were treated.
This was the largest event of its kind in George in many years.
"Sterilisation makes animals less susceptible to disease. And it prevents unwanted puppies and kittens coming into a world where they may not be fed, cared for or protected," said Dr Stephanie Mallory, who led the spayathon.
To Mallory, forging links with the community is also a priority.
"It would have been much easier to do the surgery at our offices, but we believe it's important to involve the owners and show them what we're doing, build up trust and, hopefully, share ideas on how to look after our animals."
The challenges included identifying animals needing treatment and organising their transport to and from the venue. Help was on hand in the form of three other George-based organisations: the Garden Route SPCA (GRSPCA), the Hoekwil Humane Society (HHS) and Cat Assistance Team (Cat) Garden Route.
"We've worked in Touwsranten since Covid," explains Laurell Pelser of HHS.
"It's long been a dream of ours to have an event like this, so we were delighted to come on board."
Invaluable logistics were handled by the GRSPCA as inspector Gerda Groenewald prepped animals and was in charge of transporting them on the day.
The GRSPCA's education unit held a puppet show and colouring competition, helping about 100 children learn how to look after their pets.
GRSPCA area manager Cheri Cooke was part of the surgical team.
"We are privileged to be part of a community where animal welfare organisations can work together closely to achieve our common goal: helping people to help their animals," said Cooke.
"This is the first of many campaigns with sterilisation as the core focus. It's the key to preventing so much of the cruelty we are faced with every day."
One of the dogs that were treated at the spayathon.
Cats sterilised separately
"It's important that they're not stressed," says Cat Garden Route founder Rita Brock.
"Anyone who has tried to give a cat a pill can imagine how difficult it is to anaesthetise them when they're surrounded by dogs.
The PDSA are long-time supporters of our work and we're grateful that they agreed to treat the cats at their premises in George."
The dogs and cats sterilised in the spayathon are just the start. Thanks to the generosity of the sponsors and the cooperation of the four organisations, animals from surrounding areas – including Kleinkrantz, Bergplaas and Wilderness Heights – will also be sterilised.
The total number is expected to be 171.
Volunteer Bruno MacDonald checking on a dog waiting to be sterilised.
"The George community has shown over the past few weeks that it comes together in hard times," said Mallory.
"But it also comes together for the greater good, and that includes the animals. We're enormously grateful to the vets, vet nurses and volunteers who gave their time and skills on the day, to the sponsors whose support made it happen, and to the people of George and beyond who donated to the event.
"Let's do it again!"
The business community played its part too, with sponsors ranging from long-time animal welfare supporters Dotsure, Vitalvet, Pet and Pool Warehouse, Montego Pet Nutrition, Knysna Veterinary Clinic, VetScripts and Garden Route Lifestyle Property to community-minded businesses Palm Tyres, F10 Products, Land Army, Tuiniqua and Bunker Farm.
Dr Shaun Sagor sterilising one of the dogs.
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