Christopher Tomlin started as a volunteer in December last year. He had just moved to Auckland from Britain and was looking to do something different.
How would the SPCA cope without hard-working volunteers? Amelia Wade asks three volunteers why they work at the SPCA in the fourth of a five-part series
SPCA Auckland had more than 2500 volunteers last year. The village in Mangere has 566 volunteers and the SPCA has 251 volunteers in its opportunity shops around Auckland. Other volunteer roles include fostering animals or helping at community events.
This summer, the Herald caught up with some of the SPCA's tireless staff and volunteers at the village about what their day looks like.
Christopher Tomlin, canine volunteer support and liaison
Christopher Tomlin canine volunteer support and liaison officer with Hershel the puppy. Photo / Doug Sherring
Sometimes, the hardest part of working with unwanted puppies all day is going home.
"You've spent all day with these dogs and really working with them, you just want to get back and see that they're okay the next day."
Christopher Tomlin started as a volunteer in December last year. He had just moved to Auckland from Britain and was looking to do something different.
Then in April this year, the opportunity arose to go full-time and he snapped it up.
A day for Mr Tomlin starts at 7.30am when the dogs get fed and cleaned. He then organises the volunteers and checks who is in that day and what jobs need to be done - these can be anything from making sure the animals get to their vet appointments, socialising and training the dogs or cleaning up after them.
At 3.15pm, they all get fed again and then usually staff shut up shop about 4.30pm.
It can be quite long hours, but the rewards outweigh the negatives, Mr Tomlin says.
"The look on people's faces when they've gone through the adoption process and the dog finally goes, especially if it's a dog that's been here for a while, everyone comes out and says goodbye and that's quite a sad moment for us but a great moment for the people and the dog."
Margaret-Ann Campbell, farm volunteer
Margaret-Ann Campbell farm volunteer with rooster. Photo / Doug Sherring
For a city girl like Margaret-Ann Campbell, volunteering at the SPCA's farm was a great way to get her dose of big animals.
"The opportunity came up but I didn't realise how much fun it would be. We've got such a diverse range of animals here; we've got horses, the pigs, the goats, the sheep, the chickens, the donkeys, homing pigeons - we've even had a llama."
Mrs Campbell has been giving up half a day a week for the the past five years. Her day mostly consists of cleaning and feeding.
"It goes food then poos. You feed them all because they're hungry then it's what I like to think of as 'house-mating' - I go through and clean-up, clean-out. Then [do] whatever else needs to be done with new animals coming in."
The farm, tucked behind the SPCA's main building, has an open field, huts for the roosters and chooks, pens for the pigs and sheep and a perch for resident goat Moet, who likes to keep an eye on what's going on.
Mrs Campbell's favourite time to be at the farm is when the baby animals come in - such as ducklings, piglets, kids or the lambs.
Danielle Tucker feline animal attendant with smudge the kitten. Photo / Doug Sherring
Danielle Tucker doesn't identify herself as a "cat person", despite working with cats every day. "I prefer animal person - cats, dogs, rabbits. I love them all."
Ms Tucker arrived from Britain this year and is on a working holiday visa. She hopes to extend her stay to two years and possibly get some professional veterinary qualifications.
"I've actually always wanted to work with animals. It's always been a dream of mine."
This time of year is especially busy for the staff on the feline team. They have "adult cats and kittens galore" coming through, as well as people wanting to adopt them.
After feeding the cats and cleaning their cages, Ms Tucker spends most of her day helping people find one to adopt.
"When you see a really nice family come in, you have a chat to them and you know you've got the perfect cat for them and sending them home, you feel happy that you've got them somewhere amazing to live. The hardest part for me is not taking them all home myself."
