“We have curtailed unnecessary spending wherever possible. The board has been working very hard to get its finances in order to deliver more adequate funding, and we are now on more stable footing,” he says.
Curbing expenses meant the Gisborne SPCA was able to appoint a new manager, Robyn Toon, and only allocate their animal inspector 10 paid hours each week. This caused some difficulties says Mr Atkinson, but things are getting better.
“When things were run remotely, the branch struggled to succeed and had no local oversight.
“Now we are very confident we are heading down the right track.
“Under national administration all the finances were controlled by Auckland and the Gisborne branch was in an extreme deficit situation. We are getting to the stage that we are going to be able to increase hours for part-time staff.”
Another positive thing to come out of the branch’s improving financial state will be the introduction of cordless clip-on phones for staff to wear at the centre to share the duty of managing the emergency phone line.
Attack on social mediaMs Toon has been the only person running the emergency line, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This means some calls are missed, which was highlighted on a vicious Facebook post on an unofficial animal rescue page.
Ms Toon says since the Facebook post she has been receiving prank calls at all hours of the night on the emergency line.
“Because of a lack of manpower, sometimes the phone goes to answer message. As soon as possible I check it but I am always going to miss some. Now there will be two of us manning the phone which will improve things.”
She says in the morning the phone is left to go to answer message while duties are completed.
“The procedures are precise, you cannot just feed and cuddle animals. There is the threat of parvovirus, feline AIDS and cat flu, so cleaning procedures are really strict. You cannot drop the ball.”
Often the SPCA emergency line is the first port of call for people, when other contacts, like the Gisborne District Council pound or cat-trapping service are more appropriate.
“I have tried to concentrate on building public relations and we now have a lot more support. I endeavour to take the time to educate people,” says Ms Toon.
Mr Atkinson says people sometimes do not understand the role of the SPCA. It is the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, not — as they have had to explain to people time and time again — a drop-off point for feral cats, unwanted pets and litters of unneutered animals. Nor is the SPCA there to pick up strays found around the region.
Kitten seasonIn saying that, they do take in litter upon litter of kittens during kitten season and there are circumstances where the SPCA does take in pets, says Ms Toon.
Last year there was an elderly gentleman who, as well as leaving a bequest to the SPCA, could not take his cat to his rest home.
“We found a home for his cat and they take the cat to visit him and a board member goes to visit him too.”
SPCA volunteers cleaned the gentleman’s flat when he moved out and helped him shift to the rest home.
“What we can do to help we do — there are a lot of instances like this that go on behind the scenes.”
Unfortunately these are not the things people get stuck on discussing on Facebook. But Mr Atkinson says there is a positive side where the SPCA and social media are concerned.
“Facebook is a critical part of our operation these days, but it is a double-edged sword. We use the page to adopt animals out and we have a 100 percent response rating but we will only respond to things that are pertinent to our operation.”
The Gisborne Herald published a story in October about Greedy Guts, the blind cat that was taken in by the SPCA and reunited with its owner, via the society’s Facebook page.
In recent years the SPCA has not had a noticeably active Facebook presence or an updated website, but all that has changed in the last 18 months.
Another key change is the advantage of donations or fundraising initiatives staying in the region.
“People who are getting membership invoices believe they are still donating to the Gisborne branch but they are donating to the national office and these funds do not come back to the Gisborne branch.
“If you wish to make a donation or sign up for membership, please sign up via our Gisborne SPCA website instead. We appreciate any donations. They are gratefully received for the care of our animals.”
Close work with vetsMr Atkinson says they work closely with the vets in the region.
“We really appreciate that relationship. But boy, money gets chewed up quickly if you have an animal with an injury or one that needs neutering, or has parvo.”
The SPCA’s two op-shops have continued to grow in popularity, which goes a long way to covering the multitude of costs they face on a daily basis.
“They generate a huge amount of our revenue and they are all run by volunteers. Anybody who has time to help answer the emergency line, do minor office work, help clean, feed and walk the animals — we are always looking for volunteers.”
Ms Toon and volunteers have also been doing obedience training with the dogs.
“This has made a huge difference, so hopefully when they go out they are well-balanced pets,” says Ms Toon.
“People have been commenting on how the dogs’ behaviour has improved.”
Mr Atkinson says aside from increasing paid staff hours and a much more secure financial state, looking ahead, they will also be relocating.
“We have taken our time getting the building process under way and there are a series of options available to us. We acknowledge we are quite a distance from town. We have not finalised a site to build on yet but we will pick one within the next couple of months,” he says.
