Animal rescue calls SPCA chief
After 30 years with New Zealand’s SPCA and two years at the helm of the Wellington branch Steve Glassey has stepped away from the animal welfare organisation to complete his PhD.
Glassey, who at age 13 began volunteering with the Palmerston North SPCA, took charge of the Wellington SPCA in September 2015.
He stepped down as chief executive at the end of last month when the SPCA merged 45 individual centres into a single, national organisation.
Glassey, who specialises in disaster management for animals, coordinated the largest animal rescue in New Zealand during the Edgecumbe floods earlier this year and will return to research in that area.
‘‘It is really good to leave on a high,’’ Glassey said. ‘‘Having seen what happened in Edgecumbe just really made me want to start looking and addressing this issue.’’
His long history with the organisation included becoming the youngest ever SPCA inspector at the age of 19.
During his time at the helm of the Wellington SPCA, Glassey worked to raise the organisation’s profile.
‘‘When the public has confidence in a charity – they give.’’
Glassey also championed the snip and chip programme – a partnership with Wellington City Council – offering Wellington cat owners desexing and microchipping at a fraction of the price.
The organisation received almost record levels of bequests during his time, helping it recover from a loss of $250,000 in the 2014-15 financial year to a surplus.
National SPCA board member Bice Awan said Glassey left the Wellington SPCA in good shape.
‘‘The Wairarapa is a good case and example of why we had to go to the one SPCA,’’ Glassey said.
‘‘Wairarapa was in a rather desperate position. It doesn’t make sense that the large organisations like Wellington continue to post a surplus and their neighbouring SPCA can barely have the doors open.
‘‘This is all about doing the right thing for the animals. Making sure that regardless of postcode, they have got a good SPCA in their area.’’
The new national structure means instead of 45 individual centres, each with its own chief executive and board, there will be three regions.
Each will have a general manager, regional advice committee and there will be a single national board and chief executive.
The two-year process was finalised in June. A permanent head of the central branch, which includes Wellington, should be installed by the end of the year.
"Having seen what happened in Edgecumbe just really made me want to start looking and addressing this issue."
Steve Glassey