SPCA changes gets thumbs up from loyal Tauranga supporters

Bronwyn Atkinson and son Simon Atkinson, 19, are both backing the creation of the new SPCA national entity. Photo/George Novak.

Tauranga SPCA will be able to keep its fundraising proceeds despite the merging of individual branches around the country into a national body.

From November 1, a new national organisation will pool the resources of all 45 of New Zealand's SPCA branches to maximise funding opportunities and strengthen its ability to respond to animal welfare concerns.

Tauranga SPCA manager Margaret Rawiri told the Bay of Plenty Times she was not able to comment and directed the newspaper's inquiry to the organisation's head office.

Royal New Zealand SPCA acting chief executive Andrea Midgen earlier said the decision was made after two years of discussions and consultation.

"As one SPCA we can achieve more for our country's most vulnerable animals than we could as a fragmented organisation . . . We will be able to create a stronger SPCA inspectorate and we will have one strategy and one voice," she said.

Ms Midgen said proceeds from a local SPCA fundraising event would still be retained by that branch, but any bequests would go into the national pool of funds, unless the benefactor specified otherwise in their will.

"Local support for the animals is as important as ever and we urge New Zealanders to continue to get behind the great work of their local SPCA."

The move has the backing from some of Tauranga SPCA's long-term supporters - including Bronwyn Atkinson, 49, from Whakamarama.

Ms Atkinson, who was visiting the local animal shelter yesterday with her son Simon, said she supported the move, "particularly if it makes it easier to access funding to care for all the rescued and stray cats and dogs that end up in SPCA shelters".

"I love animals, and the majority of our pets have come from the SPCA because I know they are very well cared for, and I'm sure that will not change," she said.

Mr Atkinson, 19, who had signed up to adopt a 4-month old German shepherd-cross named Jango, also agreed with the plan.

"Anything that helps to grow the amount of funding the SPCA gets has to be a good thing," he said.

Kim Buchanan from Pets on the Net website said the charity had worked closely with SPCA since 2002 but she did not want to comment on the funding aspect of the changes.

"But one of the positives that will come from having a national body is that all SPCA branches will list found animals on Pets on the Net, which means more pets will be reunited with their owners," she said.

How the changes came about and what they mean

SPCA delegates voted on Saturday at the RNZSPCA annual meeting to create a

unified and future-focused national entity from November 1.

Some of the aims of the new entity:
- To achieve consistency and collaboration across the country
- To get the right outcome for every animal in New Zealand
- To ensure local support for SPCA continues