Food stolen from animal shelter
A SAFE haven for animals in Philippi is being targeted by criminals who steal mostly cat and dog food.
The Animal Welfare Society shelter has experienced several break-ins over the last few weeks at its quarantine facilities on the premises. This facility cares for 40 dogs and stores dog and cat food, which is mainly what’s stolen.
“This has happened several times, and at this point we don’t know what to do,” said a distressed Jacqi Le Roux, an assistant veterinary nurse.
The burglar bars were pulled out of the wall, and the electric fence was broken during the forced entry. “This ruins our real goal as an animal welfare shelter because we want to educate the public, but events like this stop us from delivering on our real purpose,” Le Roux said.
The shelter is a non-profit organisation that relies solely on donations from supermarkets and other small businesses.
The organisation helped rescue animals when the Imizamo Yethu informal settlement was engulfed by a fire on March 11.
The society cares for 300 furry fourlegged friends, and offers a variety of veterinary services to underprivileged communities in and around Philippi.
Its aim is to educate the community about sterilising and taking care of animals.
Many of the animals they take care of are badly injured, abused and neglected.
The recent break-in would be a “huge loss” for the establishment, according to Angelique Stanbridge, the inspector at the shelter.
She said the shelter did not have money to improve its security.