Although some of them could be receptive to the education offered by the SPCA officers, Hay said more often than not they were combative, aggressive and physically abusive.
“Some of our staff have been spat on, they’ve had cats physically thrown at them, our area manager’s been punched.”
Hay said verbal attacks, social media attacks and emotional abuse were all almost daily occurrences nationwide.
Some people had threatened staff by saying they would kill animals if they were not taken by the SPCA, she said.
Unfortunately, a lot of staff at Hawke’s Bay’s SPCA saw taking this abuse as part of their job, she said.
“In what other agency is that acceptable or normal? On top of what we are already dealing with in our day, sometimes it’s too much,” Hay said.
“It’d be great if we could come to work, do our jobs, support our animals, and go home and not have to think, has someone followed me?”
Hay had been with the charity for nearly seven years and said the general community simply did not know the services the SPCA were – and were not – able to provide.
“First, we’re not a rehoming service.”
The SPCA website states that the charity helps animals in distress at their centres, rehoming them when possible, and bringing justice to those who have failed them.
Hay said while there are exceptions to that rule, typically the answer when people show up to their centres with unwanted animals is “no” – not because the SPCA doesn’t want to, but they don’t have the resources.
“People think if they’re turning up with puppies or kittens, we need to take them, and, unfortunately, as much as we’d love to, sometimes we just can’t,” she said.
This is typically because of available space at the centre, she said.
A still taken from security camera footage from the SPCA Hastings building shows a dog abandoned and tied to the front gates.
Hay said, despite the challenges, the SPCA had great support measures in place, and the team had each other’s backs.
Although the SPCA may not be able to take unwanted pets, they could offer education, food and even desexing vouchers to help assist any animal owner struggling, she said.
Hay said the SPCA in Hawke’s Bay runs on donations and volunteers.
She invited anyone wanting to help the SPCA to donate financially, if possible, but donations of old bedding or towels or wet food would always be appreciated.
They were also always open to offers of foster parenting animals, or volunteering at the centres.
“We rely heavily on the community. The more hands we have, the more work we can do,” she said.
