Spreading pet food drive

After losing his cat, Komgha Junior School headboy Colby Kean, 13, started Pixie’s Pet Drive two years ago to collect and donate food to pet shelters.

For two weeks, Komga Junior pupils brought in tins and bags of pet food and in the end, a total 372kg of pet food was collected and donated to Hilltop Animal Outreach.

When Kean’s cat went missing, he went in search of it at Wilsonia-based shelter Pet Pals but instead of finding his beloved cat, he saw the pets there with no food.

“Colby is a very warmhearted young boy, who always wants to help where it’s needed,” said his mother Lyn Kean.

“Hilltop Animal Outreach came about just over eight years ago when we recognised the plight of the animals in and around the more impoverished areas of East London. We are two women with our very passionate volunteers who are trying to make a difference to the desperate and stricken animals,” said Jenni Krause of Hilltop Animal Outreach.

“Our primary focus is the sterilising of the animals to prevent the ever-growing population of puppies and kittens. We target a minimum of three sterilisations a week, and have done well over the 500 mark since we started.

“We are grateful for what Kean and the school are doing for the outreach, it really does make a difference, as we depend on donations and fund-raising events.”

Krause said they collect and sell second-hand clothing to raise funds for medical bills and food. They also have raffle competitions along with cake and book sales.

“The challenge we face are the increasing numbers of abandoned animals that require feeding and sterilisation, cruelty cases that require emergency veterinary care, and funding pressure.

“We use approximately 90kg of dry food and six cases of pampers a week to feed the cats at the Frere Hospital, Southernwood and Gonubie Caravan Park. We supply dog food to many owners in the informal settlements,” she said.

Krause said they were in dire need of volunteers to assist with feeding on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

“It takes us approximately 3.5 hours in the morning and many hands make light work,” she said.