Author: Caitlyn Hilliard-Lomas

By CAITLYN HILLIARD-LOMAS Many dogs and cats will be living in shelters and foster homes this Christmas. A few Christmases ago, some of them might have been puppies or kittens popping out of wrapped boxes. But, this Christmas, there will be no tinsel, no extra treats and cuddles, and they won’t be dressed up in bright red jerseys. The Santa Cause for Paws Foundation acknowledges all these shelter animals and focuses on a Christmas Drive box campaign for dogs, cats and other animals in need. Run by part-time volunteers, the organization relies solely on donations from the public. It…

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By CAITLYN HILLIARD-LOMAS On Wednesday, 6 October, Dr Amy Jackson-Moss (better known as Dr Amy) of the Makana Vet Clinic and Maloli Dingana from the SPCA set off in their bakkies on a bumpy journey to eNkanini informal settlement on the outskirts of Makhanda. Their goal was to give out free rabies vaccines to the dogs and cats in eNkanini, Extension 9 and Extension 10. Dr Aurobind Padayatchi from Grahamstown CC accompanied them. The rabies vaccine campaign started at 9.30 am with only a handful of people and their dogs. But, after an hour, the lawns were packed with…

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By CAITLYN HILLIARD-LOMAS A baboon attack in Xolani on Saturday, 9 October, left a donkey foal dead, two dogs injured, and residents frightened. “I heard it running on our roof about four times before this attack,” said Xolani resident Letitia Dreyer. About one year ago, a baboon – possibly the same one – attacked a dog in Xolani and broke its spinal cord. The dog was in so much pain that it had to be euthanized. This time, the large baboon tore off the tail of a baby donkey and ripped out its intestines. Resident Letitia Dreyer heard the horrible…

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By CAITLYN HILLIARD-LOMAS Dozens of happy faces swarmed around the cats, dogs and donkeys at the SPCA open day on Sunday 3 October. By the end of the morning, every dog in the kennels had been taken out for a walk by the visitors.  The day started with a few rays of sunshine doing battle with cold, hot coffee, cupcakes, and pupcakes. At the charity store, one of the volunteers paid R1000 for a book with a R20 price tag! All morning, the facility was buzzing in laughter, smiles, dog kisses and purrs. Families came for Sunday strolls and bonding…

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