Cape of Good Hope

Happy Birthday Footprints!

Happy Birthday Footprints!

We speak for, protect and care for animals ISSUE 1, 2013We speak for, protect and care for animals ISSUE 1, 2013

8 Feature - Footprints cele-

brates 20 years of delivering

quality news, pet care tips and

happy tails to its supporters.

10 Fight against cruelty - SPCA

Inspectors on the forefront,

saving lives

12 Feature - Mass Sterilisation

Programme paves the way for

a brighter tomorrow for City’s

animals

3

CONTENTS

ISSUE 1, 2013

EDITORIAL

DESIGN

COVER

PRINTING SPONSORED BY

LISE-MARIE GREEFF-VILLET,

LAMEES MARTIN,

LARA ROBERTSON

PO Box 3, Plumstead,

Cape Town, 7801,

Tel: 021 700 4141

Fax: 021 705 2127

Email: comms@spca-ct.co.za

Website: http://www.spca-ct.co.za

JOAN SUTTON

(021) 712 0101

Photographer - Desire Kohn

Website: www.desirekohn.co.za

Facebook: Desire Kohn Photography

Model - Frikkie

FORMESET

Tel: 021 507 9000

Footprints is published by the Cape of Good

Hope SPCA, and all profits are used to

further the work of this organisation. The

opinions expressed in this magazine do

not necessarily reflect those of the editors

or the management of the Cape of Good

Hope SPCA. While every effort is made to

ensure editorial and factual accuracy, no

responsibility is accepted for any errors.

BANK DETAILS:

Cape of Good Hope SPCA

Standard Bank

Account: 0718 32858

Branch: 051001

Ref: Footprints / your name

Report Animal Cruelty:

A/H Emergency:

www.spca-ct.co.za

Tel: 021 700 4158/9

083 326 1604

Dear Friends

This edition of Footprints marks the

20th year of Cape Town’s favourite

animal magazine. The very first edition

was published in July 1993 and was

sold to supporters at a cost of R3.00.

We are very privileged that things have

changed and that now we are able to

bring Footprints right to your doorstep

at no cost, and we trust that you and

your whole family enjoy sharing in our

animal stories just as much as

Capetonians did 20 years ago.

We have even more to celebrate in

this edition as one of our devoted

staff members share the anniversary

with Footprints, with a 20 year long-

service acknowledgement, and our

Ani-Pals education programme

reaches its 10 year mark. By reaching

the hearts and minds of thousands of

young people, the education team of

three is making a real difference in

the lives of companion animals

throughout the Cape Metropole, and

we share some of their highlights from

the past decade.

All of these successes would of

course not have been possible without

the continued backing from our

corporate partners, sponsors,

volunteers and of course you, our

loyal supporters. Our SPCA Heroes

section gives a mere glimpse of the

many people of all ages, and

corporate supporters who offer their

assistance. Special thanks go out to

everyone who left us in awe of the

mountains of food and blankets

donated in response to our Winter

Appeal.

To support us and stand a chance

to win, read more about our Tails Up

Letter from THE EDITOR

competition on page 5. This

competition just had its first birthday

and has seen 12 lucky winners each

walk away with a whopping R10 000.

Sometimes even we don’t

understand how animals get into the

dangerous situations we find them in,

but we always find a way to help them

out. Don’t miss the tales about two

such unusual rescues, as well as our

story on the 90 pigs that were saved

from a dismal life in Klipheuwel.

Our pet care feature on page 13

guides you through information about

some of the most prevalent infectious

cat and dog diseases that we struggle

with in our Animal Hospital and

Animal Care Centre daily. Never think

your pet is immune - these diseases

can strike anywhere, so please take

the time to read this educational

piece.

As we enter the second half of this

year, you can feel the excitement in

the air as we start preparing for our

big fundraising events such as the

popular Wiggle Waggle Walkathon and

the much-loved Horse Show which

promises to be even better this time

around. If you’ve never attended one

of our big animal events, make sure

to browse through our Wiggle Waggle

and Woefie Wandel photo pages to

see just exactly what you’re missing

out on… and make sure to keep an

eye on our website and social media

pages (@SPCACape for Twitter and

Cape of Good Hope SPCA on

Facebook) for the dates of upcoming

events.

In this edition you will also find

photo pages in tribute to our amazing

Team SPCA challenge fundraisers

13 Feature - Do you know which

pet vaccines are essential?

Prevention is better than cure

14 Wildlife Unit - SPCA saves the

lives of an Africa Wild Cat and a

tiny Cape Dwarf Chameleon

15 Education Update - Ani-Pals

educates 108 000 learners on

responsible pet ownership

16 Two popular Cape Town dog

walks raise thousands of Rands

for less fortunate animals

19 TEAM SPCA members raise

R400 000 through the Cape

Argus PnP Cycle Tour and Old

Mutual Two Oceans Marathon

22 SPCA Bequest Society

members celebrate their love

for animals at the charming

Vineyard Hotel

23 Happy Tails

who, by cycling, running and engaging

in other challenging activities for the

CoGH SPCA, raised more than

R400 000 for our fight against cruelty.

If you are one of those go getters with

a passion for animal welfare, then

please contact us to hear how you

can join our team.

Being part of the SPCA family, you

know that we are all about the happy

endings. That truly is what everything

we do is all about: seeing those happy

wagging tails; hearing the purr of a

content cat; seeing a healthy horse

galloping in an open field; releasing

that Wild Cat that you’ve nurtured

for months, back in to its natural

environment to live out its life - free

and out of harm’s way. And as staff

who are faced with the atrocities we

see each day, we often wish that we

could take all of the animals at the

SPCA home with us and keep them

safe, always. Of course we can’t do

that, but once in a while an animal

comes along that tugs at our heart-

strings to the point where we are left

powerless to resist. In a special

version of Happy Tails we share the

stories of three of these charming

animals with you.

I would like to extend a special

mention of gratitude to my Assistant

Editor, Lamees Martin, who for the

most part coordinated the production

of this very important edition of

Footprints, while I needed more time

to settle in to my new role as

Communications and Fundraising

Manager here at the SPCA.

Happy reading about our precious

creatures!

Lise-Marie

Cape of Good Hope

4 Shop with us - Spoil yourself

or your furry friend while helping

the SPCA

6 Generous giving - see who

goes above and beyond in

support of animals

7 For your Diary - Join thousands

of two and four legged walkers at

this year’s SPCA Wiggle Waggle

Walkathon and saddle up for

charity at the annual SPCA

Horse Show

4

Need to stock up on some good

books for those chilly winter nights?

Then pop in at the SPCA Book Shop,

located on the corner of 1st Avenue

and First Road in Grassy Park, and

choose from a great selection of new

and second hand books.

“We are always in need of

donations of books so that we can

continue to provide a great selection

to our customers. All profits go

directly towards caring for the many

hundreds of animals rescued by the

SPCA”, said Book Shop Coordinator

Natasha Johannes.

For more information contact

Natasha Johannes on 021 700 4155

or email awareness@spca-ct.co.za.

Make a stop at the

SPCA book shop

The MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet

initiative enables charities across

South Africa to benefit from the

purchases of philanthropic shoppers

worth thousands of Rands each year.

And the Cape of Good Hope SPCA is

no exception. Generous card holders

donated R57 895.06 since January

2013!

The support of MySchool MyVillage

MyPlanet doesn’t stop there. So

passionate are they about the welfare

of animals, that this year they joined

SHOP WITH USSpoil yourself or your

furry friends while

helping the SPCA

our fundraising efforts at the 2013

SPCA PURINA Woefie Wandel dog

walk and donated R10 for every entry

received, helping to raise over

R17 000 for the society.

Remember - every swipe counts -

so keep shopping with your MySchool

MyVillage MyPlanet card, and if you

don’t have a card yet, go to

http://www.spca-ct.co.za to sign up

for one today and make sure to

choose the Cape of Good Hope SPCA

as your beneficiary.

Thank you

My School!

MySchool steadfast in support of SPCA

On the day at lovely D’Aria estate, the

MySchool team spoiled three lucky winners

through a lucky draw for fantastic

Woolworths hampers.

The Cape of Good Hope SPCA’s

charity shop, located at the society’s

facility in Grassy Park, turns all your

unwanted goods into much needed

funds to aid in the fight against

animal cruelty. From January to

May 2013, the sale of your second-

hand donations raised more than

R220 000 for the society.

Your ‘junk’, our treasure

“We can’t keep bringing in this

money without your unwanted

clothing and furniture, kitchen and

household appliances, as well as any

bric-a-brac items, so thank you!”,

said shop coordinator Bettie Beukes.

So next time you plan to clean out

your garage or if you decide to

unpack your wardrobe, please

consider donating your unwanted

items to the SPCA. For more

information, contact Bettie Beukes

on 073 302 8099.

Get R20, R35 or R50 off your next purchase of any Royal Canin Feline Breed

Specific cat food with their Top Breed Cat promotion until stocks last. The

discount amount will

depend on the size of the

bag purchased and will be

indicated on a sticker found

on each bag.

The Royal Canin range of

pet food products are

available at the SPCA Vet

Shop in Plumstead. For

enquiries please call

021 761 4463 or email

vetshop@spca-ct.co.za.

Thousands of dogs and cats go

missing from homes across Cape

Town every year, and even more

so during the cold winter months

when thunder storms and bad

weather frightens animals,

causing them to flee their homes.

Since the start of winter, dozens

of lost animals have been admit-

ted to the Cape of Good Hope

(CoGH) SPCA in Grassy Park.

Make sure your much-loved

furfriend is properly identified with

these new, high quality resin,

water-proof pet tags, which helps

For each bowl sold

the SPCA receives a

percentage of the

proceeds, which goes

towards feeding all

the many animals in

our care. Get yours

today from our SPCA

Vet Shop in

Plumstead for just

R30. These lovable

bowls are also

available at the vet

shops in Canal Walk, Tygervalley, Garden Centre, The Paddocks, Planet

Woof and Vet + Pet in Edgemead, Somerset West, Stellenbosch and

Cape Gate.

For more information please call Natasha Johannes on 021 700 4155

or email awareness@spca-ct.co.za.

5

ensure that finding a lost pet is

more than possible, and support the

Cape of Good Hope SPCA at the

same time!

A variety of designs and colours

are available and SPCA supporters,

who purchase the pet tag using the

special coupon code SPCA03R5, will

receive a discounted rate of R50 per

tag, postage included.

Order forms and information are

available from our SPCA vet shops in

Plumstead and Grassy Park or visit

www.stuck2u.co.za to order online.

For any queries about these new

SPCA pet tags, email Natasha Johan-

nes at: awareness@spca-ct.co.za

or call 021 700 4155.

Orders, manufacturing and postage of

these tags are the responsibility of

Stuck2U, available on 083 440 3230

or email spca@stuck2u.co.za.

Identify and care with trendy new

SPCA pet tagsSPCA heart-shaped ‘friendship’ bowls now only R30!

WIN R10 000 with SPCA Tails Up

SPCA Vet Shop

Cape of Good Hope

All profits from product sales are used to support the SPCA’s mission to Speak, Protect and Care for Animals

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Purrfect savings with Royal Canin

Improve your pet’s mobility with Hill’s

Each month one lucky animal-lover stands a chance to win R10 000

in the exciting SPCA Tails Up competition.

To enter, simply buy 12 competition tickets of R50

each, and each month for the next year you will

be entered into a lucky draw for R10 000!

Our Tails Up Club is limited to 2000 members

only, which means that the odds of winning

is great.

So don’t delay, sign up

today and win!

Email dbadmin@spca-ct.co.za

or call 021 700 4168.

Soothe osteoarthritis in

a hop, skip and jump

with Hill's Prescription

Diet j/d that has been

specifically formulated

to improve Canine/Feline Mobility and

relieve the pain of osteoarthritis.

Hill’s Prescription Diet j/d is the

only pet food clinically proven to

improve mobility and reduce

stiffness in animals

suffering from osteo-

arthritis in as little as

21 days. It’s designed

to reduce pain and

inflammation, as

well as slow the

progression of

this debilitating condition. Purchase a

bag of Hill’s Prescription Diet j/d, or

any of the Hill’s Prescription Diet

products at either of the SPCA Vet

Shops, 6 Gabriel Road, Plumstead or

at the corner of 1st Avenue and First

Road in Grassy Park and help less

fortunate pets at the SPCA at the

same time. All profits go

towards supporting the

work of the Cape of Good

Hope SPCA.

Visit:

www.hopskipjump.co.za

for more information on

Hill’s Prescription Diet j/d.

6 Gabriel Road, PlumsteadStockists of all leading pet product brands

Winter Trading Hours:(1st June - 1st September)8h30-17h30 on Weekdays8h30-13h30 on Saturdays

Call 021 761 4463 or email vetshop@spca-ct.co.za

6

SPCA HEROESThe Cape of Good Hope SPCA

recently appealed to Capetonians

for donations of blankets and pet

food with which to properly care

for the animals in their care

during the cold and wet winter

months. Thanks to you, over 400

blankets, 2000kg of dry dog and

cat food and over 3000 tins were

collected since the start of June

2013!

SPCA Resource Development

Manager, Lise-Marie Greeff-Villet

says: “The animals in our care always

come first, and we will never let them

go cold or hungry. This winter, with

the help of the community, we

definitely don’t need to spend

Just some of the

amazing people and

companies who made

a difference

additional funds on blankets and pet

food. This allows us to use what little

funds we do have available to fight

animal cruelty, implement education

initiatives and address core problems

such as animal over-population”.

The CoGH SPCA cares for

hundreds of animals on a daily basis

in its Animal Care Centre and

Hospital, and uses about one ton of

food per week to keep the many furry

tummies full during winter when the

cold weather makes them burn up

more energy. Extra food helps to

meet these demands. If you can help

in any way please contact the CoGH

SPCA on 021 700 4141 or

frreception@spca-ct.co.za.

Huge response to food and blanket appeal

On 6 December, 2012 the Cape of

Good Hope SPCA presented South

African Police Services’ Warrant

Officer 2 Nico du Toit of the

Malmesbury Stock Theft Unit with a

very special SPCA Medal of Honour.

As part of the society’s 100th

centenary celebrations in 1972,

this medal was established for

those who demonstrated

outstanding service and co-

operation in the field of animal care

and protection.

The CoGH SPCA was proud to

present the Medal of Honour to

Warrant Officer du Toit after he

went above and beyond the call of

duty to ensure that those

Going above and beyond

responsible for the theft, torture

and death of Bukshi - a dearly loved

horse - were brought to justice. In

addition to the Medal of Honour,

Warrant Officer du Toit also received

a gift of thanks in the form of a

horseshoe, in memory of Bukshi,

from Bukshi’s very emotional, but

grateful, owner Anthea Myburgh.

Pictured from left is CoGH

SPCA CEO Allan Perrins who

handed over the Medal of

Honour to Warrant Officer 2

du Toit (middle). With them is

Bukshi’s owner, Anthea

Myburgh.

One coin at a timeThe Cape of Good Hope SPCA is grateful to stores throughout Cape Town who

so kindly allow us to display our collection tins on their counters. All the

income collected from the tins contributes considerably to ensuring that the

society is able to continue in its mission to care for all animals.

Below are the top ten collection stores during the period April 2012 to

March 2013. Well done!

Chores for PawsGrade N and Grade R learners together

with their dedicated teachers at Western

Province Preparatory this year again

engaged in their “Chores for Paws”

project, which encourages children to be

helpful in the home and in turn receive

money to donate to the SPCA for each

task completed. This past year these

eager youngsters raised R4127.00, which

went directly to help animals in need and

prevent animal cruelty. Each child who

completed the challenge was rewarded

with a visit to the SPCA and an Ani-Pals

badge, which they proudly wear.

Company Suburb Income

Pick n Pay Express Newlands R 14 882.75

Superspar Sea Point R 10 613.82

Pick n Pay Express Muizenberg R 8 634.61

Kwikspar Kuils River R 8 470.10

Spar Monte Vista R 7 822.24

Neelsie Spar Stellenbosch R 7 368.21

Engen Quickshop Meadowridge R 7 237.20

Superspar Sonstraal Heights R 6 976.51

Fresh Stop Waterfront R 6 892.50

Daffodil Concepts Eppindust R 6 507.75

7

Let’s celebrate International

Animal Week

International Animal Week (4-10

October) is celebrated around the

world and aims to increase

awareness, especially amongst

children, around the importance of

responsible pet ownership and

compassion for all animals.

The Cape of Good Hope SPCA

invites schools across Cape Town to

celebrate their love for animals by

participating in various animal-

themed activities before, during or

after this week. ‘Civvies for SPCA’

has been embraced by a number of

schools who allow their learners to

dress in casual wear for a day and

in return for a R5 donation, wear an

SPCA ribbon to acknowledge their

respect and love for animals.

Celebrate International Animal

Week, support the SPCA’s work and

help us to continue to provide

primary veterinary care and

emergency aid to thousands of

helpless animals.

For more information please

contact the SPCA education

department on 021 700 4181 or

email educ1@spca-ct.co.za.

Cape Quarter Book Sale

The SPCA Book Sale will take place

from 6 to 8 October at Cape

Quarter in Green Point between

9am-6pm on Friday and Saturday,

and from 9am to 3pm on Sunday.

Bring a bag of pet food to receive a

discount on your books.

SPCA Horse Show

This year, the 18th annual SPCA

Horse Show will be held at the

Constantia Valley Riding Club

(CVRC) in Brommersvlei Road,

Constantia in October. Watch our

website www.spca-ct.co.za closer

to the time for the exact date and

further details.

SPCA Bequest Society and

Donor Recognition Luncheon

Thursday, 5 December is the date

to diarise for this year’s SPCA

Bequest Society and Donor

Recognition Luncheon. The popular

annual event will take place at the

Vineyard Hotel in Newlands, and

guests can expect an afternoon of

good food, great company and

entertainment. These luncheons fill

up fast and seats are limited, so

please contact Carol-Ann Brand on

021 700 4150 or email

bequestofficer@spca-ct.co.za to

book your seat now.

SPCA Wiggle Waggle

Walkathon

Whilst a date for the annual

SPCA Wiggle Waggle Walkathon,

the biggest dog walk in the

Western Cape, has not yet been

confirmed, please note that this

fun family 4.5km walking event

will take place sometime towards

the end of November or in the

beginning of December. Watch

our website closer to the time

for details.

Diary Dates

A young heart for charity

Biscuits for barks

When the Cape of Good Hope SPCA

visited the Children’s Paradise

Educare Centre in Plumstead in June

2013 to teach the children about

responsible pet ownership, they were

pleasantly surprised by Lance

Goosen-Dart (3) who handed over a

very full SPCA collection tin. Lance

had kept the tin at home and at his

school in the hopes of filling it up for

ACSA, CTIA flying high for education

Grade 1 pupils from Oakley House in Diep River were so looking forward to

visiting the Cape of Good Hope SPCA in May 2013 that they decided to bake

a batch of biscuits for the dogs in our care.

To make these delicious biscuits you can use the same recipe as found in

Kids Magazine, April 2005 edition:

Put 2 cups of whole wheat flour and half a cup of mealie meal into a large

bowl. Make them irresistible with a tablespoon of biltong powder.

Add 2 eggs. Add half a mashed banana. Stir in 2 tablespoons of oil and a

1/4 cup of beef stock. Knead it for 2-3 minutes adding more beef stock if

it’s too dry. Roll the dough out to about 1 cm thickness on a floured board.

Cut into shapes. Place the biscuits onto a lightly greased baking sheet and

bake them for half an hour.

Farewell to an animal angelWim Reinders, who was a loyal and dedicated volunteer at the Cape of Good

Hope SPCA for 10 years, passed away suddenly on 15 December 2012.

Wim regularly assisted our Fundraising Department by sorting books for our

book sales and book shop, counting money brought in from our tin

collections, and lending a hand at SPCA events.

He was always willing to go the extra mile for the animals, and nothing

was too much trouble. We will miss you.

the many fur-pals in the society’s

care.

Said teacher Natalie Goosen:

“Lance would ask all of our visitors or

just raid their purses for their small

change to fill the SPCA tin”. Seen

with SPCA education officers Lucille

Boonzaier and Thembi Nomkala,

Lance can hardly hold his tin, which

collected R102.35 for the SPCA.

Continuing its generous support for the Cape of Good Hope (CoGH) SPCA

since 2008, Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), Cape Town International

Airport (CTIA) generously donated R150 000 to the society’s Ani-Pals

Education and Mobile Clinic programme.

Pictured here at a cheque handover in November 2012 is CoGH SPCA’s

Resource Development Manager Lise-Marie Greeff-Villet, ACSA CTIA General

Manager Deon Cloete and the SPCA’s Carol-Ann Brand and Lucille Boonzaier.

The CoGH SPCA is enormously grateful for the continued support afforded

to the society by ACSA CTIA.

8

owners, and education on animal

matters and the need to expand

awareness will remain infinite.

Leafing through the pages of these

priceless Footprints archives, I also

see how community involvement and

support has increased, how with the

people of Cape Town behind us we’ve

changed animal laws, how our

inspectors increasingly manage to

prosecute perpetrators of animal

cruelty, and how through the years

we were able to find more and more

happy tales. And I find peace in the

realisation that the resources spent

on a publication such as Footprints

is justified as it is an integral tool in

the work we do. Every person

reached, and every single animal

whose life improves accordingly,

makes it worth it.

But it hasn’t always been easy.

Producing, printing and distributing

this magazine to more than 6000

readers requires much human as well

as financial resources. Some of you

will remember that Footprints used to

be printed once each quarter, but

due to financial contsraints has since

2012 become a bi-annual

publication. We are very thankful for

support received from printers, paper

providing readers with a multitude of

opportunities to get out there and

help in our fight against cruelty to

animals.

Reading through 20 years of

Footprints, I found it very interesting

and somewhat worrying that the

same issues that needed to be

spoken about back then, we continue

to have to address today. Articles in

earlier magazines include topics such

as animal-overpopulation and the

importance of sterilisation,

vaccinating your pets, not leaving

your pets in cars, and cases of

neglect and abuse very similar to

what we still experience today. And it

makes me wonder - are we really

making a difference? After 20 years

of asking people to vaccinate and

pleading with pet owners to sterilise

their animals, why are our messages

not having any impact?

Then of course it dawns on me -

every time an animal is adopted,

every time a puppy goes to a new

home and every time a good

samaritan takes in another lost

animal off the street, it results in the

birth of new pet-owner relationships

that have to be nurtured. There will

always be a new generation of pet

when medical treatment is needed.”

“By bringing animal care knowledge

and awareness into your home,

Footprints aims to short circuit this

kind of inadvertant abuse and help

pet owners achive a better

understanding of their animals.”

And throughout the past 20 years,

Footprints has continued to do just

that, and more. The magazine has

been published in various sizes,

designs, colours and moved from

being a subscription magazine very

early on (for the whopping cost of

R3,00 per edition) to a free

publication, but it has always stayed

true to its purpose: educating through

advice and guidelines about animal

care, creating awareness about the

plight of animals in the world around

us, sharing the SPCA story with our

“family” of supporters and friends,

and of course at the same time

Footprints celebrates 20 years in print this month! To our many animal-

loving supporters, this bi-annual magazine is seen as a community

publication and most of them cannot wait to receive the latest Cape

Town animal news, photos and fun delivered right to their doorstep. To

the communications team here at the SPCA the publication also serves

as a fantastic marketing, networking and image building tool as it

provides a well-loved traditional media channel for speaking about the

SPCA and providing exposure to our sponsors and partners.

However, as I open the first ever

Footprints published in July 1993,

and read the inaugural message of

the then Editor and CEO, John Eaton,

I am once again reminded of the true

purpose of Footprints: “Too often the

work of the SPCA is seen as reactive-

either as a policing function to

threaten prosecution in the event of

discovered cruelty, or as a receiving

and treatment centre for animals who

have already become victims of

abuse. These are of course central

functions, but….. we still see it as

our primary function to be proactive,

and…. prevent the mistreatment of

animals. Our experience leaves us in

no doubt that cruelty is most often

the result of ignorance…. and this

ignorance is not restricted to poorer

communities. Pet owners everywhere

fail to feed, house or groom their

pets, and many do not know how or

Footprints

first edition,

July 1993.

Left: The very

first letter

received by the

Footprints team.

Footprints celebrates 20 years By Lise-Marie Greeff-Villet

Autumn

1998

May 2001

Summer 2008

Issue 2, 2011

9

suppliers, designers and distributors

who offer us their best possible rates,

or in the case of Formeset printers,

actually do the printing for us pro-

bono.

The COGH SPCA is committed to

bringing Footprints to you for the next

20 years, and are continuously

rethinking the content offering and

aesthetic appearance so as to make

it the very best of its kind in the

industry and reading pleasure for the

whole family. In keeping with this

approach, you can look out for a

kiddies section that will be

reintroduced in our 2nd edition for

2013, as well as readers’ pet photo

pages and a bit more about the

people who work at the COGH SPCA.

We are also thinking about bringing

back a focus on animal news from

further afield (SA and abroad) and

the Footnotes letters section, but

would love to hear from our readers.

Tell us what you want to see in

Footprints by sending your

suggestions to Lamees at

comms@spca-ct.co.za. If you want to

advertise in the magazine, or sponsor

a page, please also let Lamees know.

Happy Birthday, Footprints!

first on those opportunities that

appeal to and interest potential

supporters.

You’ve obviously accomplished a

great deal. To what do you

attribute that success?

My passion and my willingness to

always learn more with regards to all

spheres of animal welfare, thus

continuously increasing my

knowledge and applying what I have

learnt to each new project. I never

assume to have all the answers and

am always open to advice.

What makes working at the SPCA

difficult?

The blatant neglect and cruelty

animals are subjected to. I echo

what Gandhi said “The greatness of

a nation and its moral progress can

be judged by the way its animals are

treated”.

Do you have any advice for

someone interested in this

field/job?

Love for animals is a must. You

must be able to achieve great things

with limited resources, always

maintain a humble attitude and be

willing to get your hands dirty.

What has been your most

rewarding experience working at

the COGH SPCA?

There have been so many rewarding

experiences over the last couple of

years I can't say that one stands out

more than the rest. Believe me, this

job is not all sunsets and roses, but

at the end of the day, whether you

are cleaning cages, administering

drugs, rescuing and protecting

animals, or raising funds - it should

always leave you content in the

knowledge that you are making a

difference to the lives of animals!

can be sold to generate income. The

bottom line is always is finding new

opportunities to raise funds for the

Cape of Good Hope SPCA to aid the

organisation in speaking for,

protecting and caring for animals.

In your current position, what

does a typical day entail?

My days are filled with creative

thinking, strategic planning, research,

drafting proposals, sending e-mails,

making many phone calls, detailed

operational planning and execution of

fundraising events, liaising with

potential sponsors and/or donors,

and lots of admin!

When you started working at the

CoGH SPCA, did you ever imagine

you would work for the

organisation for so long?

No, I never thought I would still be

here to celebrate my 20th year, but I

doubt any other job would have given

me the same satisfaction and feeling

of accomplishment.

What motivated you to get up

every morning and come to work?

My passion and belief that although I

might only play a small part in animal

welfare I am making a difference,

that is all the motivation I need.

What major challenges and

problems do you face on a daily

basis?

One of the major challenges I face is

raising the required funds in this ever

changing economic climate, with

limited resources. There seems to be

an explosion in the number of NGOs

country wide, all needing funds,

which makes the task of securing

funds and/or sponsorships that much

harder. Therefore fundraisers need to

constantly reinvent their fundraising

initiatives and make sure to capitalize

Animal angel gives 20 years of service This July we’re having two big

celebrations as Footprints

shares its 20th anniversary with

SPCA Fundraising Officer,

Natasha Johannes who also

joined the SPCA family exactly

20 years ago. Natasha chatted

to us about her passion for

animals and her journey so far

at the Cape of Good Hope SPCA.

What inspired you to work for

the CoGH SPCA?

As long as I can remember my

family have always owned animals -

from dogs to chickens, geese and

birds. Animals have always held a

special place in my heart and the

Cape of Good Hope SPCA, with its

long and significant history of

helping animals in and around Cape

Town, seemed the right place for

me to be. Ironically my first memory

of the SPCA was a sad one, when

my beloved dog had to be

euthanased because of an injury he

sustained. At the time I was too

young to understand and was angry

with the SPCA for taking away my

animal. Yet today, I think the many

animals I have had over the years,

would be proud of me for working

for this truly caring organisation.

What roles and/or functions have

you assumed over these years?

I started as an Animal Care

Assistant from which I was

promoted to Kennel Manager. After

being with the SPCA for so many

years I felt though that I could use

my insights to further assist the

organisation and took an

opportunity to move to the

Fundraising Department first as

Fundraising Assistant and thereafter

as Fundraising Officer. I also

completed the intense SPCA

Inspector’s course to increase my

knowledge of the Animal Protection

Act and Animal Handling, however I

have never been out in the field.

What do you do at the SPCA

now?

My responsibilities include planning,

managing and implementing

various fundraising initiatives that

range from challenge fundraising

events, SPCA tin collection

programmes and SPCA book sales,

to developing SPCA branded

merchandise such as Christmas

cards, calendars and pet tags that

Winter 2006

Autumn 2009

Issue 2, 2012

10

Pigs deserve better says SPCAAfter receiving a report of pigs

housed in unhygienic and parasitic

living conditions in the area of

Klipheuwel, Durbanville on 24 May

2013, Cape of Good Hope (CoGH)

SPCA Inspector Mark Levendal,

together with officers from the

city’s environmental health

department, immediately

responded.

On inspection, Inspector Levendal

found approximately 90 pigs and 20

sheep, owned by various local small

scale subsistence farmers, being

forced to live in unacceptable,

parasitic conditions. According to

Inspector Levendal: “The animals

were forced to stand in their own

dung as there were no concrete or

solid surfaces. Animal manure was

not disposed of and proper drainage

was non-existent, causing a terrible

stench of faeces and urine in the air,

with an excessive presence of flies.

Most disturbing was the 15 pig

carcasses scattered all over the area

and near a water stream, which was

possibly contaminating the

Mosslebank ecosystem”.

A written warning was issued to the

various farmers advising them that

the living conditions of the animals

were in contravention of the Animal

Protection Act (No 71 of 1962) and

instructed them to rectify the problem

within a reasonable period of time.

On a follow-up inspection,

Inspector Levendal observed that no

improvements had been made and

was therefore forced to obtain a court

order to confiscate the animals.

However, considering that in reality,

the fate of many of these animals

would be to ending up at an abattoir,

the CoGH SPCA attempted to again

try to find a practical solution to the

problem.

As a result of the SPCA’s guidance,

the owners agreed to sell some of

the animals to better equipped

farmers while others were relocated

to more suitable farms.

Should you witness any animal

cruelty, report it to the CoGH SPCA

on 021 700 4158/59 or after hours

and on weekends to 083 326 1604.

Your identity will not be disclosed if

you choose to remain anonymous.

Above: How the pigs were forced to live.

Below: Pigs, like all animals, deserve to live in a natural and

healthy environment.

A castle, a moat andOn 3 January 2013, the Cape of

Good Hope SPCA received a call

for help to rescue a small cross

breed Terrier dog that was spotted

floating on a bed of reeds in the

moat surrounding the Castle of

Good Hope.

The distressed, stranded animal

was soon saved by SPCA Inspector

Jeronico Josephs, with the assistance

of the Castle of Good Hope that

provided him with the boat which he

11

The core mandate of the Cape

of Good Hope SPCA is the

prevention of cruelty to animals.

Help us in our mission to care

for and protect all animals by

reporting those who mistreat them

to 021 700 4158/59 or after

hours and on weekends to

083 326 1604. Your anonymity is

guaranteed.

So, what should you do if you

witness or hear of animal

cruelty?

Each case is different, and specific

action does not necessarily apply

in every case. In general, this is

what you should do:

l If the cruelty is something that

can be stopped immediately,

then stop it. If, for example, a

horse or a dog is being

unmercifully beaten, intervene if

you can safely do so.

l However, the sort of person who

would mistreat an animal in this

way would be likely to vent his

anger on anyone who interferes,

and members of the public

should therefore use their

discretion. In that case, rather

call the authorities.

l Few occasions arise when a

camera is readily available, but if

there should be one, photo-

graphs and videos are useful

evidence.

When reporting animal cruelty,

please remember that in order

for SPCA Inspectors to respond

effectively, they require the

following information:

l Your own name, address and

telephone number. This is

necessary for record purposes

and also enables the Inspector

to obtain further details and to

inform you of the result of their

investigation.

l The address and wherever

possible, the name and contact

details of the alleged perp-

etrators involved.

l The date, time and physical

address where the incident

occurred. The exact address

assists in ensuring an

unhindered response.

l The registration number and

description of any vehicle

involved.

l You may be asked in certain

cases if you would be prepared

to testify in a court of law.

This information assists the

Inspectors in having detailed

insight into the situation they will

be dealing with.

Once the relevant information is

obtained, an SPCA inspector will

conduct an investigation and

depending on his/her findings, will

either issue a warning, educate the

owner in the best interests of the

animal, or confiscate and rehome

the animal wherever possible.

Where necessary, charges of

animal cruelty will be laid against

the perpetrator under the Animals

Protection Act (No 71 of 1962).

We need nosey neighbours!

What goes up must come down!

R P T SEE OR ABU :

0 1 0 41 52 70 58/ 9

H 8 2 16A/ :0 3 3 6 04

Cats are generally inquisitive animals, a trait which often gets them

into trouble. Like this cat, who got stuck up an eight metre high tree in

Oranjezicht on 5 May 2013.

Luckily for this feline, a member of the public heard his cries for help and

contacted the Cape of Good Hope (CoGH) SPCA.

Two SPCA inspectors, equipped with a 12 metre ladder, braved the heights

to rescue the dark Tortoiseshell male cat named Oscar. The curious cat was

reunited with his relieved owner, who wasn’t even aware that her beloved pet

had gotten up to mischief! On average the Cape of Good Hope (CoGH) SPCA

responds to two reports of cats up trees per week.

needed to get him to where the

animal was trapped. “She was very

scared but appeared happy to be

safe in the boat with me”, said

Inspector Josephs.

How the animal managed to get

stuck in the middle of the castle’s

moat remains an unsolved mystery.

The dog, now known as Aqua, soon

found her happily-ever-after when she

was adopted by Paul Louw of

Stellenbosch. (Pictured right).

a dog in distress

12

Each year thousands of

animals face an uncertain

future in shelters because

there are not enough suitable

homes. Untold amounts of

puppies and kittens are left to

fend for themselves on the

streets of Cape Town, and

hundreds of unwanted animals

are abused and neglected

every day. And each day we

struggle with the question:

What is the solution to these

devastating realities?

It’s undeniable that focused

sterilisation (coupled with

humane education and law

enforcement) is one of the most

effective and humane methods to

help address the problem of

uncontrolled breeding and pet-

overpopulation, which will in turn

alleviate the euthanasia and

abuse of unwanted animals.

Over the past six months, the

Cape of Good Hope SPCA,

together with the Cape Animal

Welfare Forum (CAWF)

implemented two mass animal

sterilisation pilot projects in the

City to address these issues.

The primary objective of these

mass animal sterilisation projects

was to sterilise at least 70% of

the areas’ intact pets within six

months, which equates to one

breeding cycle.

Partly sponsored by the City of

Cape Town and Western Cape

Department of Agriculture, these

projects resulted in thousands of

dogs and cats - including most

free roaming, stray and feral

animals in Du Noon and Brown’s

Farm - being neutered, spayed

vaccinated, dipped and

dewormed. The CoGH SPCA also

invested in humane education by

visiting schools in the areas,

putting up educational posters

and distributing fliers about the

benefits of sterilisation.

“With fewer unwanted animals

being born, we hope to see lower

STERILISATION brings about positive change in the city

levels of animal cruelty and

abuse and knowing that we are

instrumental in the fight against

cruelty by sterilising as many

animals as possible, leaves us

with a sense of accomplishment

of which we can all be proud. We

are hopeful that similar

initiatives, which help eradicate

neglect and cruelty, will continue

throughout the Western Cape

and we look forward to our con-

tinued role therein”, said Cape

of Good Hope SPCA CEO and

Chairman of the Cape Animal

Welfare Forum, Allan Perrins.

Although these projects placed

much strain on the resources of

all participating animal welfare

organisations, great success was

achieved with almost 300 cats

and dogs sterilised in Du Noon

and more than 1 500 in Brown’s

Farm.

“We are enormously grateful

for the support and assistance

received from everyone who

helped us to achieve sustainable

results through a collaborative

effort, and we hope that these

were the first in many such

projects to be undertaken

throughout the Western Cape”,

said Perrins

13

PREVENTION

IS BETTER THAN CURE

According to Cape of Good Hope

(CoGH) SPCA Veterinarian Dr Hakart

Avalon, the most common infectious

diseases to vaccinate against in

dogs are:

Parvo-virus

Canine Parvo-virus is an extremely

contagious disease transmitted by

oral contact with infected faeces and

can live on the surfaces of shoes,

clothing, food and water bowls,

bedding and toys. Symptoms include

lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting

and bloody diarrhoea.

Distemper

Canine Distemper affects a dog’s

respiratory, gastrointestinal and

central nervous systems as well as

the conjunctival membranes of the

eye. The virus is passed through

direct contact with fresh urine, blood,

saliva, via sneezing, coughing and

sharing food and water bowls. Watch

out for mild cold-like symptoms,

preceded by thick mucous discharge

from the nose or eyes with coughing

and sneezing, lethargy, vomiting and

diarrhoea.

Kennel Cough

Kennel cough is a highly contagious

infection, which causes inflammation

of a dog’s voice box and windpipe.

It’s a form of bronchitis (similar to a

chest cold in humans). Symptoms to

look out for are a persistent, forceful

cough, sneezing, a runny nose or eye

discharge.

Infectious Hepatitis

Infectious hepatitis is a serious viral

infection, most often seen in dogs

less than one year old. It primarily

causes damage to the liver and dogs

catch this disease by inhaling or

eating the virus present in the urine,

nasal and eye secretions of infected

dogs. Symptoms include fever,

vomiting, diarrhoea, lack of appetite,

lethargy, nose bleeds, rapid

breathing and seizures.

Chlamydia

Feline chlamydia in cats is caused

by bacteria and is seen as

conjunctivitis. Cats are infected

through contact with infected cats,

food bowls, bedding, litter trays and

their owner's hands. Symptoms

include swelling of the conjunctiva

(tissue around the eye), redness of

the conjunctiva (pink eye), tearing,

squinting, and discharge from the

eye.

Feline Calicivirus

Feline Calcivirus infection is a

common respiratory disease in cats.

The disease is acquired after coming

into contact with other infected cats

such as in multicat households,

shelters, and in poorly ventilated

catteries. However, because the virus

is resistant to disinfectants, cats may

come into contact with it in almost

any environment. Symptoms include

loss of appetite, nasal discharge,

ulcers on the tongue, nose, or around

claws, difficulty breathing, lameness

and fever.

Rhinotracheitis

(Feline Herpes Virus)

Feline Herpes Virus is the most

common cause of upper respiratory

disease in cats, especially in multicat

households. The virus is spread via

oral and respiratory secretions of

infected cats, contact with infected

food and water bowls, litter trays and

bedding. Symptoms include sneezing,

nasal discharge, conjunctivitis, loss of

appetite and depression.

Rabies

Rabies is a severe and often fatal

disease that affects a dog’s brain and

central nervous system. The virus can

be transmitted by the bite of an

infected (rabid) animal, but also

through exposure to infected saliva.

Symptoms can range from shyness

and strange behaviour, to aggression

and paralysis in the head and neck

area, which results in an inability to

swallow, excess salivation or ‘foaming

at the mouth’, and eventually

respiratory distress. Sadly, death

soon follows. It is compulsory to

vaccinate against Rabies under South

African law.

Cats are very good at hiding disease

and by the time a cat displays the

signs of illness, it may be severely ill.

Dr Avalon recommends vaccinating

against:

Feline Panleukopenia Virus

(Parvovirus)

Feline Parvovirus is a highly

contagious viral disease and because

the virus is everywhere in the

environment, virtually all cats are

exposed to it at some point. Signs of

Feline Parvovirus include depression,

loss of appetite, high fever, vomiting,

severe diarrhoea, nasal discharge

and dehydration.

Do you know which vaccines

are essential to the health of

your beloved pet? Are your

pet’s vaccines up to date?

Animals, just like humans, suffer from a range of infectious diseases.

The CoGH SPCA Hospital and the other veterinary facilities in Cape

Town, treat hundreds such cases each year, and no companion animal

should be seen as completely safe against the sometimes deadly

effects thereof. Vaccination remains the single most effective method

for protecting against infectious disease in healthy animals.

Kittens and puppies should be

vaccinated from the age of six weeks.

Boosters are given at 12 weeks of age

and usually annually on recommendation

of your veterinarian. Rabies vaccinations

are given at nine and 12 weeks, with

boosters every three years.

“The staff at our hospital have first-

hand experience of the despair that

sicknesses such as these can cause to

dogs and cats, and to those that love

and care for them. Vaccinating your pets

is the most responsible thing to do and

without it, consequences could be fatal”,

said Dr Avalon.

Rabies

Rabies is an inflammatory infection

that affects the gray matter of the

cat’s brain and its central nervous

system. Rabies is transmitted via the

bite of an infected cat and its

symptoms includes pica, seizures,

paralysis, a dropped jaw, unusual

shyness or aggression, excessive

salivation or frothy saliva, constant

irritability and changes in behaviour.

Feline Leukemia

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV)

commonly causes anaemia or

lymphoma and suppresses the

immune system. FeLV is passed from

one cat to another through saliva,

blood, urine and faeces. Grooming or

fighting are common ways in which

the infection can spread. Symptoms

include pale gums, white eyes, yellow

colour in the mouth, weight loss,

poor coat condition, lethargy,

diarrhoea and difficulty breathing.

Feline Immunodeficiency virus

(Feline AIDS)

Feline AIDS or FIV is an infectious

disease caused by a retrovirus, and is

similar to the HIV virus in humans.

Feline AIDS can be caused through

bite wounds or scratches by an

infected cat, sexual transmission or

passed on to kittens at the time of

birth. Symptoms include weight loss,

poor coat condition, diarrhoea,

anaemia, bad oral hygiene, infections

of the skin, eye, urinary tract and

respiratory tract, as well as cancer

(sudden lymphoma).

14

In February, the Cape of Good

Hope (CoGH) SPCA Wildlife Unit

received an unusual patient to its

short-term care facility. A tiny

adult Cape Dwarf Chameleon,

which is found throughout Cape

Town, had its front toe accident-

SPCA - there for animals, big and smallally cut off while a Wynberg

resident was pruning the hedges

in her garden.

The animal received the necessary

treatment and after two weeks of

t.l.c, was released at the Kenilworth

Racecourse Conservation area.

In November 2012, while hiking in

the Greyton Nature Reserve, a

staff member of the City of Cape

Town Biodiversity Unit came

across an African Wildcat that

appeared to be ill.

The animal was immediately

brought to the Cape of Good Hope

(CoGH) SPCA’s Wildlife Unit in Grassy

Park for examination by an SPCA

veterinarian who diagnosed the young

adult male with Biliary, also known as

Tick Bite Fever.

Dedicated wildlife unit Inspector

Megan Reid placed the animal under

24-hour observation in high care

within the unit. Determined to see

the animal recover, Inspector Reid

administered electrolytes and fluids

every hour for 24 hours, and the

animal was placed on a high iron

diet with food provided every two

hours.

Thanks to the care and

compassion of Inspector Reid, and

two months of dedicated treatment,

the African Wildcat recovered fully

and gained sufficient weight to allow

his release back at the Greyton

Nature Reserve.

“It was a very special moment for

the wildlife unit team to see this

beautiful creature, which had been

on death’s door not too long ago,

running free once more. We’re

confident that this wild cat will go on

to live a long and happy life back in

the wild”, said Inspector Reid.

Back into the wild

If you come into contact with

injured or displaced wildlife,

whether big or small, contact

the unit on

021 700 4158/9 during

office hours or on

083 326 1604 after hours,

weekends and on public

holidays.

15

First launched in 2003, as a result

of a significant commitment by

the Cape of Good Hope (CoGH)

SPCA to invest in humane

education, the society’s Ani-Pals

Education and Mobile Clinic

Programme reaches thousands of

young learners across Cape Town

each year (15,692 in the last

financial year). Ani-Pals teaches

children about responsible pet

care, promotes compassionate

behaviour and also advocates the

sterilisation of pets.

An extended version of the

programme is also rolled out to 11

schools in impoverished communities

each year. The team spends three

weeks at each of these schools - first

educating the learners on pet care,

and then encouraging them to admit

their pets to the education mobile

clinic to be sterilised.

The programme targets Grade

R - 5 learners and its objectives are

threefold, namely to:

1. Educate children on the five basic

pet care guidelines to prevent

animal cruelty;

2. To improve the health of our

communities by encouraging

learners to keep their pets healthy

and prevent the transmission of

animal to human health diseases,

(i.e. worm infestation and skin

diseases caused by mange);

3. To inspire compassionate

behaviour by demonstrating to

children that animals feel pain and

should be loved and cared for, just

as people deserve to be treated.

May 2013 marked the 10th

anniversary of SPCA’s Ani-Pal

Education Programme. Education

Manager Lucille Boonzaier shared a

few of the highlights and successes

of the programme over the past

10 years:

2003 In an effort to address the lack

of education in disadvantaged

communities, which is a major

cause for the neglect and

abuse of animals within these

communities, the SPCA

approached a top marketing

company for assistance and

the idea of the Ani-Pals Educa-

tion Programme was born.

2004 The National Lotteries Board

granted the SPCA further

funding to continue the

programme.

2005 The programme was revised

and the puppet show was

translated into Xhosa, English

and Afrikaans.

2006 The CoGH SPCA was invited

to attend the WSPA 2006

workshop in Dar es Salaam to

share its experience and to

increase its effectiveness.

2007 Ani-Pals Education programme

was awarded top honours by

WSPA, which considered

animal welfare educational

programmes from

organisations in 90 countries.

2008 The Foschini Group provided

the programme with funding

towards a Xhosa speaking

educator to better educate

Xhosa speaking learners.

2009 Ani-Pals Education programme

was awarded the ‘Outstanding

Contribution to Environmental

Education in the City of Cape

Town’ by the city’s

Environmental Resource

Management Department.

l Ani-Pals received an award of

recognition from Sid-G-Rule

Primary School in Grassy Park

for making a significant contri-

bution to the development of

the community.

2010 The National Lotteries Board

approved the CoGH SPCA’s

request for funding for the

redevelopment of the

programme.

2011 Funding is fully expended in

the redevelopment of the Ani-

Pals Education programme to

incorporate classroom activity

booklets approved as

curriculum based for

foundation phase learners by

the Western Cape Education

Department.

l Two new puppet shows were

created to speak to learners

from different socio-economic

backgrounds in English and

Xhosa.

l Barloworld Toyota Western

Cape generously contributed

R120, 000 to the Ani-Pals

Education programme.

l The new redeveloped Ani-

Pals Education Programme

was officially launched by the

Premier of the Western Cape,

Helen Zille on the 6

September 2011.

2012 The CoGH SPCA Ani-Pals

Education programme was

awarded R150,000 from

Airports Company South Africa,

Cape Town International Airport

for the reprinting and repairing

of the tools of the programme.

To date, more than 108 000 learners

received education on responsible

pet care and over 6000 sterilisations

have been performed thanks to the

SPCA Ani-Pals Education and Mobile

Clinic Programme.

Ani-Pals reaches 108 000 learners over 10 years!

16

Every step

Cape of Good Hope SPCA CEO, Allan Perrins receives a generous contribution from

Pick n Pay’s Marketing Manager (Western Cape), Mark Jennings.

Photo

by A

nge

lo M

arsiglia

Photo

by A

nge

lo M

arsiglia

Thousands of two and four legged walkers took part in the Pick n Pay SPCA Wiggle

Waggle Walkathon, Cape Town’s largest dog walk.

Right: Kistenhof residents Zara and Donelle Barthus with dog Lula, and

Dylan and Tauriq Barthus with dog Cody enjoyed their morning walkies.

17

counts Photo

by S

imone M

ilward

The family-friendly

4.5 km walk was

thoroughly enjoyed

by all.

Jade Myburgh from Goodwood with best friends Echo and Harley.

Photo by Andrew Waltman

Photo by Angelo Marsiglia

Right: Good Hope FM

presenter and event MC,

Guy McDonald, and

Natalie Damain-Harris

of Bergvliet with her

dog George.

In the last year, two and four legged

walkers from all over Cape Town went

walkies for the Cape of Good Hope

(CoGH) SPCA and helped to raise thou-

sands for the many homeless, injured and

abused animals they rescue and care for.

For the 18th year running, the iconic

Pick n Pay SPCA Wiggle Waggle

Walkathon, which took place on 2

December 2012, attracted almost

2000 walkers and their dogs of all

shapes, sizes and breeds.

“It was a pawsome morning out,

filled with happy barks and wagging

tails at the Cape Academy of Maths,

Science and Technology in Tokai”,

said Lise-Marie Greeff-Villet,

Communications Manager for the

CoGH SPCA.

The day started at 9am with

popular radio presenter Guy

McDonald from Good Hope FM who

got the crowds geared up at the start

line for the fun, family 4.5km walk

through the leafy suburb of Tokai.

Walkers meandered their way along

the circular route through Firgrove

and Soetvlei roads and finished back

at the school at around 11am where

they enjoyed a variety of food and

beverages. Many participants also

walked away with give-aways from

Pick and Pay and other generous

sponsors.

Children were treated to face-

painting, fun rides and other kid’s

activities, while the dogs - after

being well exercised - cooled off

under shaded tents and took a dip in

the large water baths provided.

“Thanks to the support of

generous event sponsor Pick n Pay,

and media partners Good Hope FM,

and Super Sports Let’s Play, we were

able to raise almost R120 000

which will go directly to helping the

CoGH SPCA prevent animal cruelty

during the festive season and

beyond”.

18

On 24 March 2013, the winelands of

the northern suburbs were bustling

with happy barks as 1 223 walkers and

971 dogs set off on the annual SPCA

PURINA Woefie Wandel.

This year the increasingly popular walk

was staged at the picturesque D’Aria Wine

Estate in Durbanville. Crowds were

welcomed by event MC, actress and TV-

presenter, Vicki Davis who, along with her

energetic Collie, Jonathan, encouraged

walkers as they set off on the family-

friendly 2km meander through low lying

vineyards, while other walkers opted for a

more challenging 4km route.

After the walk many people stayed on

to enjoy wine and delicious eats while their

dogs cooled off in the numerous water

baths. PURINA and MySchool provided

fantastic prizes to the winners of various

lucky draws and fun competition categories

such as the biggest dog, smallest dog,

loveliest dog couple, cutest dog, and most

heart-warming SPCA rescue dog story.

Our thanks also to media partners Radio

Tygerberg, Super Sports Let’s Play and the

Tyger Burger for their support.

Hendrick and Kelly Smith from Sunningdale Parklands with Ella, Oscar and Ollie.

Photo

by A

nge

lo M

arsiglia

Hundreds of excited two and four legged walkers set off on this year’s SPCA Woefie Wandel.

Photo

by S

imone M

ilward

Right: Abie

Collins

from

Goodwood

with his

dog, Seven.

Photo

by S

imone M

ilward

Photo

by A

nge

lo M

arsiglia

Skyla with dog Oortjies, chats to Vicky Davis.

Relaxing after a pawsome walk!

Photo

by D

esire

Kohn

1319

A dedicated group of 93 cyclists

and 22 runners proudly suited up

in their Team SPCA gear to

participate in the Pick n Pay Cape

Argus Cycle Tour and the Old

Mutual Two Oceans Marathon in

March 2013. Together the Teams

raised over R400 000 for the

Cape of Good Hope (CoGH) SPCA

and the many animals the Society

rescues and cares for in Cape

Town.

Team SPCA members spent

months raising funds through events,

taking on sponsored training challen-

ges, and encouraging their friends

and family to support them by donat-

ing to the CoGH SPCA through online

fundraising websites such as Do It for

Charity: www.doit4charity.co.za or

direct deposits.

Each member was required to raise

a minimum of R2 500, but many far

exceeded the expectations of SPCA

Challenge Fundraising Coordinator

Natasha Johannes who said, “We

were blown away by the dedication

and generosity of our Team SPCA

members, many of whom raised

much more than the required amount

and some as much as R20 000.

Each team member truly believes in

our mission to speak for, protect and

care for all animals and this was

evident in their participation”.

Special thanks go to Bayer and

Ultra Dog for sponsoring the cycling

shirts and to New Balance for their

sponsorship of the running shirts.

Team SPCA raises thousands for Cape Town’s animals

Some of the 93 Team SPCA cyclists.

20

Interested in making your race count for

more? Sign up now to raise funds for the

SPCA by cycling in the Cape Argus Pick n

Pay Cycle Tour and/or running in the Old

Mutual Two Oceans Marathon in 2014.

To find out more contact Natasha Johannes

on 021 700 4155/41 or email

awareness@spca-ct.co.za.

Carol-Anne (Cally) Kühne

- TOP FUNDRAISER

Colleen Harrison

Terry-Ann Jacobs

Hester Oosthuizen

Carin Gouws ( Swanepoel)

Greta Geerts

Marius G Becker

Deon Pieterse

Ida-Marie Dubber

Morne Viljoen

William Murdoch Trengove

Sedick Adams

Pierre Hugo Burger

Mark Penter

Marike Brits

Rian Moolman

Shaun Rimer

Juan Slabbert

Carl Werner Rohwer

Emma Kate Rohwer

Annatjie Van Rooyen

Stephan Van Rooyen

Milton Impey

Elenora Lubbe

Brett Cownley

Jacobus Christiaan Otto

Andries Van Heerden

Linelda Hiscock

Matthew Harvey

Luke Harvey

Diego Baptista

Justin Edwards

Leigh McLaren

Talton Cooke

Justin Cohen

Jason Ramon Vavatzanidis

Angelo Zanetti

Anje Barnard

Roche Nicholson

Angela Woodward

Jennifer Wallace

Karin Hannweg

Ronald Van Damme

Pierre Mostert

Talitha Venter

Luke Brauteseth

Clayton Coetzee

Gregory Hosken

Adam Olivier

Deon Koen

Zuhayr Harricombe

Sumarie Roodt

Brett Griffin

Reginald Meintjes

Andri Coetzee

Friedrich Strey

Neil Cochran

Bryan Jones

Antoinette Gervais

Van Staaden

Riaad Khan

Shahad Khan

Melvin Margro

Bradley Van Staaden

Mario Venter

Izak Fourie

Travers Summers

Peter Van Zyl

Frank Molteno

Eric Gous

Adriaan Nel

Roland Croxford

Linda Croxford

Mark Raa

Warren Hickinbotham

Lafras Uys

Stefan Uys

Jessica Vosloo

Zelda Vosloo

Dave Roberts

Petronel Van Rhyn

Elmare Botha

Jess Robinson

Leah Thompson

Chanelle Nandi Birch

1321

Pick n Pay Cape Argus Cycle Tour Team

Natalie Irwin

- TOP FUNDRAISER

Cornelia Hutchinson

Gary Hopkins

Lloyd Jacobs

Sue Ullyett

Tamara Rainsford

Angela Merrifield

Claire Davidson

Christy Watson

Sarah Smith

Theresa Isaacs

Jean-Mare Sanetra

Frances Barrat

Megan Pentz - Klutys

Kirsten Maartens

Rachael May

Michelle Van Aardt

Brigette Bowler

Eric Von Bratt

Nicole Leroy

Lezel Wethmar

Lizzy Strauss

Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon Team

Minnie Elizabeth Birch

Liezl Human

Riaan Veldtmann

Donnè Deacon

Leslie London

Dr Gordon Greeff

Charming afternoon

at SPCA luncheon

Diarise now!o

f

C me share in the festive cheer and celebrate your love or animals

gn

at the SPCA Bequest Society and Donor Reco ition Luncheon on

r 2y o

5 Decembe 013 at the Vine ard Hotel. B okings are open to members

e S y h

of the SPCA B quest ociet and t eir friends and family. Seats are

4

limited so please contact Carol-Ann Brand on 021 700 150 or email

ae

bequestofficer@spc -ct.co.za to book your s at today.

The annual SPCA Bequest

Society and Donor Recognition

luncheon, held on 6 December

2012 at the Vineyard Hotel in

Newlands, was abuzz with

smiles and cheer between like-

minded individuals who belong

to a very special family of

animal lovers known as the

SPCA Bequest Society.

Bequest Society members who

all have pledged a legacy to the

Society, and their guests, gathered

for some fine dining and

entertainment to celebrate their

commitment to helping the SPCA

in its mission to care for and

protect all animals.

The afternoon was spent

watching a spellbinding display of

agility and grace from the Zip Zap

Circus School artistes who

performed juggling acts and

delivered a jaw dropping act on the

Cyr wheel. Thereafter guests fell in

love with Bear, the SPCA Royal

Canin Mutt of the Year 2012, who

together with his owner Lee-Ann

Curtis-Cox, demonstrated the pre-

cious bond that can exist between

an adopted animal and its owner.

Warrant Officer 2 Du Toit of the

Malmesbury Stock Theft Unit was

presented with an award in

memory of Bukshi, a horse who

died as a result of horrendous

cruelty in 2010. Warrant Officer

Du Toit was honoured in this way

to thank him for going above and

beyond the call of duty to ensure a

criminal prosecution against

Bukshi’s persecutors.

The afternoon ended with a

raffle of donated prizes. Special

thanks to the following sponsors

for helping to make the event such

a success: The Vineyard Hotel,

Congress Rentals, The Cake

Decorators Guild (Fish Hoek),

Bartenders Workshop, Kurt

Schlechter, Lorna Hepple, Jacqui

Symmonds of Jacqui’s Salon,

Progress Lighting, Ingrid

Heydenrych, Gail Vorster, Desiree

Damon, Doreen Flanagan, Val

Hallack and Janet Millar-Watt.

Jacobus Claasen and Phelelane Ndakrokra from Zip Zap Circus School perform a double act on the Cyr wheel.

Lucky draw prize winners

Left: Lee-Anne Curtis-Cox and the SPCA Royal Canin Mutt of the Year 2012, Bear.

Right: Wine Sponsor Etienne Schlechter

and wife Lisa.

SPCA CEO Allan Perrins, SPCA’s Carol-Ann Brand, and new members to the Bequest Society, Janet Millar-Watt.

and Dr. James Liddell

22

Happy TAILSWe can’t take all the animals home

with us, but sometimes, for the staff

at the SPCA, it’s love at first sight...

Spongebob fur-pants

now lives with Lise-Marie

On any given day, when you walk

into the office of the Communi-

cations, Education and Resource

Development Manager of the Cape

of Good Hope SPCA, Lise-Marie

Greeff-Villet, you will find the

department’s much loved feline

co-worker Spongebob.

Spongebob arrived at the SPCA

in December 2012 as a stray in

need of a permanent, loving

home. Despite his charismatic

personality and striking good

looks, this kitten couldn’t seem to

find his match. Many visitors to

the society’s adoption centre

perceived him to be aggressive,

despite staff reassuring them that

he was merely playful.

At the time of his arrival,

Spongebob was kept in the

adoption centre’s office, separate

from the rest of the kittens inside

the cattery to ensure that he

stayed healthy while waiting to

receive his vaccinations.

When Lise-Marie, an avid cat-

lover, met Spongebob, she

decided to keep him in her office

during the day, just until he was

ready to move in with the other

kittens. Little did she know that

Sponge-bob would soon charm his

way into her heart, so much so

that he never went back to the

SPCA’s cattery. Spongebob now

resides in Stellenbosch with his

new mom and dad and other

feline brothers and sisters.

Lise-Marie’s coworkers enjoy

Spongebob’s company so much,

that he now visits the office

regularly to spread some joy.

Roxy returns the favour

Roxy, a female Jack Russell pup,

came to the Cape of Good Hope

(CoGH) SPCA as a stray in October

2012.

She was so little and timid that

the kennel staff decided to keep her

in the office with them to help her

settle in and build up her confi-

dence. Sadly, despite her sweet

nature and adorable looks, no one

came forward to adopt her. That is

until the society’s accountant, Darryl

Burt, met Roxy and soon became

smitten with her. Darryl and his wife

June had lost their beloved Jack

Russell, Milo, some time back due

to kidney failure and felt that they

were finally ready to welcome

another fur-child into their lives and

In MemoriamLong standing donor and SPCA supporter

Megan Pentz-Kluyts kindly contributed

to the production of Footprints in

memory of her dog Gus.

Said Megan, “You were such a great

companion Gus, my heart will always wear

‘paw prints’ left by you, my boy. I miss and

love you, forever.”

Ferdinand the Bull

finds his Daisy

In January 2013, an 18 month old

male Nguni bull that was found

grazing unsupervised alongside a

busy road in Mitchell’s Plain, was

rescued by the Cape of Good Hope

(CoGH) SPCA and brought back to

the Society’s farmyard in Grassy Park.

Shortly before the Nguni arrived, a

calf named Daisy also took up

residence in the farmyard. She had

been brought to the farmyard by the

Swartland SPCA who had rescued her

after she had fallen off the back of an

over-laden bakkie and was left

abandoned on the side of the road by

her previous owner.

Daisy was hand-raised and there-

fore had more of an affinity towards

humans than her fellow animal

friends in the farmyard. Farmyard

workers often noticed Daisy all by her

lonesome in the farmyard. However,

when Daisy met the Nguni bull, they

instantly got along and spent their

time together.

During a visit to the SPCA, Sue

Sonnenberg from Diemersfontein

Estate in Wellington saw Daisy and

she immediately fell in love with and

adopted the young calf, leaving a sad

Nguni behind. As fate would have it,

no one came forward to claim Nguni.

CoGH SPCA CEO Allan Perrins, who

lives on the Diemersfontein Estate,

could not bear to see the inseparable

Daisy and Nguni parted and decided

that he just had to reunite them. So

he adopted the Nguni bull, now

fondly known as Ferdinand.

“Ferdinand and Daisy have

become much-loved celebrities at the

estate, where they have free-range of

the beautiful landscape and ample

grazing areas.”, said Perrins.

so they adopted Roxy. Little did they

know, Roxy would one day save their

lives, just as they had rescued her.

Darryl shared this with us:

“In just three months of being in her

new home, Roxy transformed into a

wonderfully sociable, friendly and

loyal companion. I am greeted every

evening after work with a wagging

tail - what a pleasure! She has

become confident, loyal, and

protective and seems grateful to us

for giving her a home.

This was evident in the early

hours of the morning of 1 February

2013 when while sleeping on the

floor of our bedroom, she alerted us

to burglars. Roxy bravely dashed

through the house ahead of me to

inspect and pursued the intruders as

they took off, tyres screeching.

Shortly after, the street was alive

with curious neighbours, flashing

lights and sirens. We are thankful to

Roxy for saving us by scaring off

those intruders and we are grateful

to the SPCA for allowing us to adopt

this precious animal”.

The following supporters also contributed, in memory of their beloved pets:

1.Astrid Austerfield

Dedicated to Ginza and Petra

2.Santa Morom and James Allen

In loving memory of Appel, Pikkie, Toffel and Patches

3.Phyllis Classe

In memory of Neville and Christoper

4. Liz Williamson

In memory of our friends Gordon, Scottie and Fluffy

5.Ranveer, Heidi, Zahra and Jahar Attwood-Persad

In memory of Marmelade (Graham and Heather’s cat).

23