Tony Veitch has turned a corner in a comeback to the working world, through volunteering for the SPCA.
Veitch was last week helping to raise money, alongside Daniel Carter, for Auckland's SPCA Cupcake Day in Newmarket.
Robyn Kippenberger, national executive director of the SPCA, said Veitch had enjoyed his court-ordered
community service with the animal welfare organisation and, after it had finished in June, had volunteered to help organise media coverage of the event.
Veitch's April sentence for injuring his former partner with reckless disregard included 300 hours of community service.
Kippenberger said she would "certainly" consider offering him a full-time position, though there was none currently available.
"All his work has been volunteered - he hasn't been paid for any of it - and he doesn't want any recognition for it.
" We've talked about doing more work and the door has been left open."
She believed his community service had enabled him to start to get his life back on track.
She said Veitch had been keeping quiet about his work. "He was worried people might think he was doing charity work to gain more support or sympathy but that's not the case at all," she said.
"It's simply somewhere to put his energy and he believes in what we are doing. It has been really hard for him."
