SPCA Christmas Cheer Fund kicks off
The annual Christmas Cheer Fund, in support of the Boksburg SPCA, is back and in full swing for the fast-approaching festive season.
The Cheer Fund has been running for over 10 years.
The Boksburg SPCA finds its kennels overwhelmed during the Christmas period and the Advertiser has traditionally assisted in helping to raise extra donations through the Christmas Cheer Fund.
The purpose of the fund is to raise money to cater for all the furry critters that need to be fed and to provide special Christmas treats to the animals in kennels over the festive season.
“We always get in more animals than normal over this period – strays that run away when their owners go on holiday and perhaps leave them in the care of a house sitter or someone who pops in each day, and animals that are donated by owners who book to go away on holiday but leave it too late to find kennelling/catteries for their animals,” said the Boksburg SPCA manager, Maggie Mudd.
“We have even had owners say to us that if the animal is still here when they get back from their holiday they will take it back!
“They are quite surprised when we say that the likelihood of that happening is slim – they would have to adopt the animal back.”
The SPCA also gets in a huge number of animals over the Guy Fawkes/New Year period due to fireworks.
During the festive season inspectors are also extra busy with calls about animals whose owners are away on holiday and have left nothing but a self-feeder for the animals to survive from.
“This is unacceptable and the SPCA ends up confiscating a large number of animals over December that have been left in unacceptable conditions by owners keen to get away for their annual leave,” said Maggie.
Tips to keep your animals safe over the festive season
• Put some form of identification on your animals.
“If every stray animal came in wearing a collar and ID disc or with a microchip inserted, our kennels would be almost empty as we could contact the owners immediately and let them know that we have their pet – what a pleasure,” said Maggie.
• If you are going away, preferably board your pets in reputable boarding establishments where they are safe and cannot escape.
How to pledge to the Christmas Cheer Fund
The community is encouraged to get involved by honouring past and present pets by pledging donations (no amount is too small) at the society’s premises, in Railway Street, Boksburg, or by depositing a donation into the following bank account: Boksburg SPCA, Absa Bank, Eastlands Branch 630442, account number 4046388139.
Reference: Christmas Cheer Fund and your name/anonymous must appear as a reference (it is very important that it be indicated that the payment is for the Christmas Cheer Fund).
Fax a copy of your proof of payment, including your optional short message, to the Boksburg SPCA on 011 916 5908, or email the proof of payment, with your short message, to ischke@caxton.co.za, so that every sponsor (whether it be an individual, school, organisation or a business) can be recognised in the Advertiser.
The Cheer Fund will run until the end of January next year.
For more information regarding the fund, contact the SPCA on 011 916 5906/7.
