ROAD TO RECOVERY: Dannevirke SPCA part-time centre manager Claire Hatfield, left, Roger and Dannevirke SPCA animal welfare officer Laura Phillips. PHOTO/CHRISTINE McKAY
ROAD TO RECOVERY: Dannevirke SPCA part-time centre manager Claire Hatfield, left, Roger and Dannevirke SPCA animal welfare officer Laura Phillips. PHOTO/CHRISTINE McKAY
With a large number of animal welfare complaints to investigate, the Dannevirke SPCA now has a fully warranted animal welfare inspector, albeit only part-time.
After spending this year studying and working at the SPCA shelter, I'm now out investigating animal welfare complaints throughout the district, but to ensure we have cover at our centre my hours have been reduced to enable us to employ Claire Hatfield as our new part-time centre manager,
Public inquiries, fundraising, administration and volunteer co-ordination as well as overseeing the rehabilitation and rehoming animals kept at Dannevirke's SPCA shelter and in foster homes is Ms Hatfield's main focus.
She has been involved with the Central Hawke's Bay SPCA as a volunteer, taking on various roles before taking up her part-time position in Dannevirke.
"We (CHB SPCA) have a good relationship with the Dannevirke SPCA and 18 months ago I stepped in as president here and I was key to getting Laura appointed as an animal welfare inspector. Without an inspector we are just glorified cat sitters," she said.
Roger was a classic example of animal neglect, Ms Phillips said.
"When he was removed from his owner he had a terrible skin condition and he'd been so neglected he didn't even know how to eat dog biscuits or play with a ball. But if his owner had fed him the right food as a puppy this wouldn't have happened. Roger spent his first six months chained up."
Now after seven to eight weeks of treatment, Roger's mange (demodicosis) is improving with therapeutic baths and injections.
NEGLECTED: Roger the dog rescued by the Dannevirke SPCA Animal Welfare. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
"A case like this is distressing, but it's cool to help animals come right," she said.
"There's a lot of work going into getting Roger ready for rehoming.
"The week I seized Roger there was another little puppy in Dannevirke in the same condition, but it was too far gone and had to be put down."
Last week Ms Phillips also had to deal with more than 50 animals, including sheep, horses and cows.
"As well as working through the logistics and the law I've got to think how I can deal with these animals as my SPCA van can't even tow a trailer," she said.
The reality is the Dannevirke SPCA needs cold, hard cash to be able to provide its services.
"We've had to do a lot of begging and borrowing of resources from other people," Ms Hatfield said.
"If we don't get funding animals could die. We are making steps in the right direction, with our focus on community education, but it's a very delicate balance.
For our long-term security of funding we need public and business support to keep going, with $40,000 a year our break-even point.
Some people feel we are a dumping ground for unwanted animals, mainly cats and we've a major problem with wild, stray cats, especially in Woodville.
"This is a problem which is beyond us and local councils should be stepping up.
During a recent de-sexing operation we were able to deal with between 200 and 300 cats - that was really a drop in the ocean, but it helps."
And while Ms Phillips is employed 15 hours a week, she's in charge of a 24/7 mobile phone service.
"I'm trying to do a good job, but it's difficult," she said. "I have on average three new jobs a week, with all the administration involved with each one."
Ms Hatfield said the Dannevirke SPCA's expenses had exceeded income by $10,000 a year over the last 10 years, but a bequest has funded that.
"At the moment the 15 hours each Laura and I are paid is funded by the remains of that bequest," she said.
"One of my roles is try to solve our income problems.
We raise a small amount of money by fundraising and in the past 18 months I've been putting in grant applications and at the moment I'm in the process of putting together a business package for sponsorship.
"However, in the long term we have insufficient income and our major bequest will only last until the end of next year and then we'll certainly have to look at what we do."
Ms Hatfield said the Dannevirke SPCA was reliant on volunteers, but volunteers could suffer from burnout.
"We have to find our own money and the volunteers to help find that money. Even Laura's animal welfare role receives no official funding, even though the Ministry of Primary Industries tasks us with carrying out the job," Ms Hatfield said.
