Masterton mayor meets with SPCA

Mayor of Masterton Lyn Patterson.

Masterton Mayor Lyn Patterson and SPCA Chief inspector Alan Wilson from the national office agree "moving forward" is the only option for SPCA Wairarapa.

The pair, who met yesterday to discuss the centre's future, said the immediate issue was to get out there to raise money to keep the inspector services.

The Wairarapa SPCA is now administered by the national office, which is paying for the inspector, "but that can't continue forever".

"So fundraising and getting people behind [SPCA Wairarapa] and supporting it will get it back up and running," said Mrs Patterson.

She said the SPCA would need to start receiving the generous donations it had seen in the past to secure the inspector for the future.

"Whether or not the centre re-opens the way it was is more down the track.

"What has happened has happened, learn from the past and move forward."

Mr Wilson said closing the centre was not necessarily permanent but was a vital move at this stage.

He said as many services as they could afford would remain, then more would be introduced once things were sustainable.

The national office will be working with councils, local vets and SPCA group members to to build the centre back up.