Animal rescue already at capacity
Volunteers’ efforts at former Waipukurau SPCA site in demand
Central Hawke’s Bay once again has its own animal rescue organisation, nearly two years after SPCA New Zealand closed the CHB SPCA shelter. A group of volunteers has established Ruahine Animal Rescue, currently registered as a social organisation and in the process of becoming a registered charity.
The group are working out of the council-leased ex-SPCA shelter in Coughlan Rd, and have a memorandum of understanding with the Central Hawke’s Bay District Council that covers looking after impounded animals as well as rehoming any that are considered suitable.
They also use foster carers who take animals into their own homes, caring for and socialising the animals before they are put up for adoption.
Spokeswoman for the group, Amber McArthur, says the response to the new animal rescue has proved it was what the community needed: “People contacted us straight away.”
“We have the capacity to take four dogs and 10 cats, and we are at capacity already.
“We’ve also had an amazing and immediate response from people wanting to help out. Tree Walkers has come on board as our first financial sponsor, and three businesses quickly came forward to be donation collection points: Funky Pukeko in
Waipukurau, Waipawa Fish Supply, and New World Waipukurau where there is a donation bin for cat and dog food and supplies.”
CHB Vets and Vet Services Waipukurau are working with Ruahine Animal Rescue to provide desexing and vaccination services.
Amber says the majority of the Ruahine Animal Rescue volunteers had been CHB SPCA volunteers, some for more than 20 years, and they could see the gap in the community for caring for the CHB’s animal rehoming needs.
Ruahine Animal Rescue is staffed entirely by volunteers, which Amber says reduces their costs. They share the Coughlan Rd facilities with the
CHB District Council pound, helping by feeding and exercising the dogs, which enables them to assess which of the impounded dogs are suitable for adoption.
Adoptable animals are then placed in foster homes, allowing them extra attention and to be further assessed, socialised and a detailed profile developed to match them to the right permanent homes.
One of the first dogs placed with Ruahine Animal Rescue, a 6-year-old fox terrier cross called Shylo, was the subject of a Givealittle campaign, after it was found he needed extensive dental work to enable him to be rehomed.
“We raised the entire amount for
his dental surgery in just 48 hours,” Amber says.
“We were astounded and really appreciative of the response. It just shows the support and caring is out there. The response has been heartwarming.”
Another of the organisation’s early rescues, currently with a foster mother, is a tiny kitten that was found in a dog’s mouth with no mother cat to be seen. He’s doing well, says Amber, and will eventually be up for adoption.
Ruahine Animal Rescue is working closely with wider Hawke’s Bay animal rescuers Pound Pooches and Viks Rescue, which looks after cats and kittens.
Along with Pound Pooches, Ruahine Animal Rescue has been chosen as a recipient of Elephant Hill’s Wine Dogs event — a charity dog-walk through Elephant Hill’s vineyard,
which sold out last year.
Amber says the charity funds and community donations will go towards the estimated $60,000 that it will take to care for the animals each year.
“That takes into account food, vaccinations and vet care, and desexing.”
More volunteers are welcome, either in animal care roles or administration. People are also welcome to apply to be foster homes and can contact Ruahine Animal Rescue via their Facebook page Ruahine Animal Rescue.
Rehoming of the animals is at this stage by appointment only, due to the shared nature of the Coughlan Rd facility.
If you are looking to add a pet to your family, please go to Facebook and check out Ruahine Animal Rescue.