Concert tribute for Kaitaia animal saviour Donna 'Doolittle'

Donna 'Doolittle' Badorek has a full house at the moment, the muster including dachshund-cross pups Jubba and Boss.

Kim Robertson has the greatest admiration for Kaitaia veterinary nurse and animal rescuer of last resort Donna (Doolittle) Badorek. And now she's done more than admire, by organising a fundraising concert at Te Ahu on her behalf.

"The community takes it for granted that she will always be there, but don't know what goes on behind the scenes," Kim said.

"Donna, with the help of her daughter and mother (and grandmother, who moved in on Saturday, complete with a new hip) rescues all the unwanted, abused and abandoned animals and re-homes them.

"Feeding about 20 or more puppies and kittens around the clock, cleaning up after them and then going to a fulltime job as a vet nurse can be quite overwhelming.

She also runs a puppy preschool, teaching people how to train their dogs. And she has goats, pigs, chooks — you name it — all rescued. I don't know where she gets the energy.

"All her earnings go to the animals. If anyone finds an animal that has been hurt or run over, they bring it to Donna. Most times she will know who owns it and reunites them; other times she pays for the surgery, medications, and rehabilitates them herself.

"Being a musician, I decided to celebrate the wonderful person she is and put on a concert at the Te Ahu Theatre for her, to bring the community together, raise money for the animals and show her she is not alone."

As of Saturday the muster included 21 puppies and 18 kittens. All were technically "passing through" on their way to new homes, and Donna hoped a "puppy viewing, sort of an open home for animals" on Sunday would reduce that numbers a little.

She routinely received 20 or 30 messages a day, many of them from people who needed help caring for their own animals.

"Often it's an education issue," she said.

"Caring for animals should be common knowledge, but it isn't. It's getting a bit out of hand, and I really could do with some help."