SPCA subject of meeting

Management of the South Waikato SPCA has concerned some residents and resulted in a public meeting.

The meeting, led by Putaruru’s Kay Collins, will be at 7pm on Tuesday at the Tokoroa Girl Guide hall.

Collins said a group of residents wanted chairwoman Sandra Harrington-Frost to resign from the position. ‘‘We want her out.’’ However she hoped HarringtonFrost would attend.

‘‘ There’ll be no room for nasty comments [from those attending], we’re hoping Sandra herself will come, she’s allowed to have her say.’’

Collins believed the SWSPCA had turned into a petting zoo.

‘‘From what I can gather there is only one person there and animals are not being taken in.’’

‘‘The aim of the SPCA is not to home everyone’s unwanted animals, it’s to prevent cruelty, I think it’s gotten beyond that.’’

Harrington-Frost was not available for comment.

RNZSPCA chief executive Ric Odom said he was unaware the national office had anything to do with the meeting.

‘‘If we were invited we would consider it.’’

He said claims had been made on social media that the national office was on board.

‘‘People are making a whole lot of bland statements that are not true.’’

‘‘There are no formal complaints that I am aware of . . . we have had a couple of phone calls.’’

He said no investigations have been launched but RNZSPCA staff had been speaking to HarringtonFrost to work through any issues.

While he praised those for caring about the SPCA, he was worried it could become a personal attack.

‘‘From my point of view, I would ask people to look at the issues, not the personalities.’’

Odom said people at the SWSPCA were doing the best they could with a ‘‘very small budget.’’