$1000 reward offer after 'horrid' cruelty

Hastings and districts SPCA inspector Simon Kale, with Zinny and Finn, just two animals who benefit from fundraising efforts such as the SPCA Glamourpuss Ball and Auction to be held on Saturday.

A Hawke's Bay man is offering a $1000 reward in a bid to help capture the people responsible for one of the worst cases of animal neglect seen by Napier SPCA.

One-year-old Staffordshire Terrier cross, May, was put to sleep after being brought in as a stray from Maraenui.

The underweight pup had two badly-broken hind legs, severe mange to 30 per cent of her body, and a third of her ear torn off.

"She came to us broken, both physically and mentally," SPCA manager Bruce Wills said.

Napier builder Hilton Smith said he was offering a $1000 reward "for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person that was so cruel and horrid to that poor little dog".

Mr Smith said when he read about May's ordeal in the Napier Courier last week it almost brought him to tears.

"How someone could do this in a local suburb is just amazing. It's just terrible and disgusting. If you can do this to a wee baby puppy, what you're capable of must just be horrific."

He added: "$1000 will be enough to bring someone out of the woodwork."

Veterinary opinion was that May's injuries were too severe to offer any realistic chance of recovery. As the broken bones healed poorly she had adapted by balancing on two front legs and walking for short distances.

The nature of the breakages was consistent with blunt force from above.

"Both hip joints have been destroyed in a manner which veterinary advice states is unlikely to have been the result of being hit by a car. We suspect she has been stomped on."

Animals which are neglected or dumped are the reason this weekend's SPCA Glamourpuss Ball and Charity Auction needs to be a success, said fundraising manager for Hastings and Districts RNZSPCA Faye Johnson.

There have been multiple instances of people moving house and leaving their animals behind, something which was not only cruel but added to their workload.

"There are a lot of cases where they are just left, people think that a cat will be fine that it will fend for itself. The reality is they are likely to die - they are going from being housed, fed and warm to being out on the street," she said.

"They are facing dangers like traffic, and being beat up by other animals who are also scavenging."

Kitten season started early with a couple of stray cats who were brought to the shelter in kitten. They expect to see about 400 tiny bundles through the door over the next three months.

SPCA inspectors were also dealing with dogs left tied in yards with insufficient food, shelter or water.

"We don't get any government funding so we are 100 per cent reliant on community support ... The fund-raised money goes directly into investigating neglect cases and vet bills," Ms Johnson said.

The Glamourpuss ball is a formal black tie event to be held at Napier War Memorial Conference Centre on Saturday, but people need to be in quick to buy tickets as the cut off date is tomorrow at 5pm.

They cost $147 each or $1400 for a table of 10 including dinner, a complimentary glass of bubbly and three bottles of wine per table as well as a goody bag.

An auction on the night will include a Tonga Wildlife Experience, rugby jersey signed by Dan Carter or a Girls Day Out experience with $500 KILT clothing voucher, colour and style consult as well as a meal at Ten Twenty Four.

- Tickets available from ticketek.co.nz. For more information see the Glamourpuss Ball Facebook page: facebook.com/pages/Glamourpuss-Ball-Charity-Auction