Saving pets: RRR hosts fundraising event for animal rescue

Liz Proudlock, Simone Donaldson and Rowan Elliott from RRR with puppy Winston, bulldogs Gracie and Sadie and some of the kittens that are in the organisation's care.

RRR has become the go-to organisation when it comes to saving vulnerable animals.

RRR — or Rescue Revive Rehome — animal rescue service was established at the start of 2019 by Jennie Dryden, Siobhan Mikaere and Rowan Elliott to rescue and find new homes for abandoned or neglected animals.

Almost victims of their own success, they are continually in need of funds.

On Saturday there will be a chance to contribute with a Garage Sale and Pet Expo at Te Puke Memorial Hall.

The organisation has strong links with the town as it is Jennie and Siobhan's home and also the home of many RRR fosterers.

"We are a charity and we rely totally on the public to fund us," says feline manager and secretary Liz Proudlock.

"We have some really tricky cases that come into the rescue that have complicated medical conditions and huge vet bills."

For a cat, an amputation, for example, can cost almost $1000.

"As soon as we get those special cases, it really pushes us to the max with finances, so we have to think outside the box with ways that we can raise money.

"The garage sale is one way and we've also got the pet expo so we have a few businesses that are going to be coming to support us and they'll be giving a percentage of their sales to us.''

Stalls will sell animal related products and there will be face painting, a sausage sizzle and cake stands. There will also be the chance to book a photo shoot for your pet.

On hand will be some small animals available for adoption, and photographs of larger animals that are looking for new homes.

"We are not going to have the animals there just because sometimes in those big places with the echoes, it can be quite stressful."

Last week the organisation stated it could not take any more cats or kittens because there were too many coming in for its fosterers to cope, but in response to the Facebook post, more fosterers came forward.

Liz says the kitten season is still going strong.

"We have, on a daily basis, just through our Facebook page, people pleading with us to take cats and kittens.

"It's often strays they have found on the side of the road or in the gully at the back of their property and nobody really wants to take them — they are finding that we are the only ones who are receptive to helping them and, of course, those kittens often have cat flu or ringworm or respiratory problems.

"We've got over 300 cats in the mix, 40 something dogs, 54 horses, livestock ... it just goes on. And all of those animals require care on a daily basis.

"Going into winter our horses are really expensive — they need hay, they need a cover and dry feed."

RRR relies on people to find homes for the animals, even if it is on a temporary basis.

"We don't have a facility like the SPCA, we have to rely on the goodwill of the public to support us by fostering.''

There are three teams — feline, canine and larger animals.

"Our feline team tends to take the more intense cases, those that are really sick or feral or needing extra care in some way — so our own houses are full of animals, but we've got our own pets so there's only so many animals we can fit in our houses."

The details
What: RRR Garage Sale and Pet Expo.
Where: Te Puke Memorial Hall
When: May 29 10am-2pm.