Stop animal cruelty

Support Paws Appeal

DEREK FLYNN

Happy ending: Marlborough SPCA office administrator Nicky Bain with her dog, Jimmy, who was rescued from the SPCA. The annual Paws Appeal begins on Saturday

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A pig burned alive with a blowtorch, puppies with their ears cut off and starving animals left alone during Christmas holidays are just some of the animal cruelty Carol Schofield has witnessed during her time as the Marlborough SPCA centre manager.

The Marlborough SPCA receives about 100 complaints per year of animal cruelty or neglect but only about a third require action.

In a bid to raise funds to help fight the cause, the SPCA's nationwide week-long Paws Appeal starts tomorrow.

Mrs Schofield said while she had witnessed some horrendous sights, Marlborough's animal cruelty record was generally pretty good. The two worst cases Mrs Schofield knew of were in 2007 when a teenage boy burned a pig using a blowtorch, and two puppies whose ears had been cut off with scissors. The pig had to be put down but the puppies were re-homed.

About 160 volunteers will be outside supermarkets and on street corners in Marlborough on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday next week to raise money.

Mrs Schofield said the SPCA worked hard to educate the public about the seriousness of animal cruelty.

"It's very hard for me to understand how people could do that sort of thing to animals."

All money collected in Marlborough during the Paws Appeal will be donated to the Marlborough SPCA.

Anyone who wishes to help collect money or does not have a collection envelope is asked to call the Marlborough SPCA office on 5729156.

Donations can be made by posting back the envelope, calling the appeal telephone number (090097772), visiting the website spcapawsappeal.co.nz or handing in your contribution at your local SPCA branch.

- The Marlborough Express

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Darren   #3   08:08 am Nov 10 2009

Until we stop the churches telling their 'flock' that humans are superior to all other animals, the better. While you still teach people of limited intelligence this attitude, these crimes will continue. Humans are NOT more important than other animals. In the big scheme of things, humans are no more important than lichen.

Aly   #2   05:20 pm Nov 09 2009

What might be a deterent is harsher sentences, not pathetic fines and home d.

Animal lover   #1   03:58 pm Nov 09 2009

People who commit such horrendous acts on animals are scum of the earth and should be taken out and shot. We don't need these waste of space, below average intelligent, dumb, thick things in society.

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