Holly Evans, 9, is asking her birthday party guests to bring pet food so she can donate it to the local SPCA. Photo / Paul Taylor
Holly Evans, 9, is asking her birthday party guests to bring pet food so she can donate it to the local SPCA. Photo / Paul Taylor
Havelock North's Holly Evans doesn't want the usual presents on her ninth birthday - instead, she's asking for pet food.
The Havelock North Primary pupil is planning a party to celebrate her birthday on Saturday, but she isn't expecting any gifts.
"I'd like people to bring pet food for theSPCA. I really like animals and I like helping them," she said.
Proud dad Callum Evans said when his daughter first floated the idea, he thought she was joking. "I don't know where she quite got it from, but she must have decided she had enough presents lying around. I'm extremely proud of her to be perfectly honest, it was a complete surprise."
Animal lovers Holly and her older sister Brianna have a couple of cats and a flock of chickens to keep them entertained, although they're still taming the chooks.
"We really need kitten and puppy food at the moment. Of course we're coming into kitten season so there are lots of little mouths to feed."
During the next four months, Ms Johnson expected about 400 animals to come through the shelter's doors.
It costs the shelter about $23,000 per month to run and it doesn't receive any government funding or lotteries grants, meaning it is entirely supported by fundraising efforts by the local community.
An inaugural ball and auction raised $20,000 for Napier and Hastings SPCAs at the weekend. All funds raised will go towards vet fees. Every animal at the shelter is vet checked at least twice, vaccinated, de-sexed, de-flead and wormed.
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