Horror stories keep animal advocates primed for battle

It was a year of horrendous animal cruelty and news stories that stood out for all the wrong reasons.
Last month Tauranga police warned pet owners to keep their animals secure after three attacks in the city.
A 3-month-old kitten was smashed to death against a door frame outside its owners' home.
In the same week, a 3-year-old dogue de Bordeaux burned to death when his pen was destroyed by arson.
And just two weeks earlier, a pitbull puppy named Trooper was found wandering outside shops with his ears cut off.
Just before Christmas, Tauranga was touched by the story of Faith, the mother dog who tried desperately to pull her newborn puppies from the Welcome Bay estuary. The litter of six was stuffed into a plastic bag and drowned at night.
SPCA animal inspector Jason Blair said Faith pined for her puppies for some time, but was now happy with a foster family while the SPCA investigated her case.
He said Faith was not yet a case for adoption.
"It is a really sad story but we must prove beyond reasonable doubt who did that to her puppies. Until that happens, the court won't give us custody."
The SPCA has been granted permission to hold Faith while its investigation continues.
Earlier last year, two cats - Sebastian and Gordon - were found with gin traps clamped to their legs.
And another cat, TJ, had to have his leg amputated after being shot at close range with a slug gun or BB gun.
In May, the owner of a female dog allegedly left it for up to three months before seeking treatment after the animal was hit by a car.
The incident left the dog with a badly dislocated hind leg. The owner is being prosecuted and the case is before the court.
None of the people responsible for the above crimes have yet been held accountable.
For those dealing with such heinous animal crimes in Tauranga, the year was, in their own words, "run of the mill".
Margaret Rawiri, manager of Tauranga SPCA, said: "We brought out into the public eye a lot more things that we'd been dealing with.
"This is run of the mill stuff for us, unfortunately.
"I think the public have a better idea [now] these things are happening. It's not just cute and cuddly cats."
All the abused animals, bar TJ who had a loving home and the female dog now being fostered, had been re-homed and were doing well.
Said Mr Blair: "There's a lot that goes on behind the scenes and just because the public don't get daily updates doesn't mean we aren't working on it.
"We definitely want to show people we are taking [these cases] seriously. People can't get away with that sort of thing."
Mr Blair said he hoped 2011 would be remembered as a year of justice.
Publicity had led to increased donations to the Tauranga SPCA but in turn increased the number of animals also being dumped at the shelter.
It's a double-edged sword but a challenge from which the organisation doesn't shy away.
This year it will focus on educating the public about animal violence; and the first sod will be turned for a new shelter on their existing site.
"We're not mucking around and we're not taking it lightly," Mrs Rawiri says.
"We don't give up."
Kitten carers needed
Tauranga SPCA is looking for people who can foster kittens, as a result of an influx at their Greerton shelter.
Tauranga SPCA manager Margaret Rawiri said 25 kittens were in quarantine, and homes were needed for between two to six weeks.
"We can only adopt [kittens] out at 800 grams and rather than just leave a little kitten sit in a cage, it's nice for them to go to a home environment," she said.
The SPCA provides everything a foster parent needs, from cat food to litter boxes, blankets and boxes.
Sometimes the mother cat is fostered out with her kittens. All foster parents need is a place in their home for the animals to have some quiet time out.
The SPCA is also looking for foster parents for puppies and dogs. Ideally, these foster parents would have had some experience in canine training.
To help, visit the Tauranga SPCA shelter on Alach St, or download an application form from www.taurangaspca.co.nz