Far North news in brief: Pet desexing, mid-winter swim and pool upgrade

The SPCA has partnered with Bay of Island Vets and Coast to Coast Cat Rescue to fund crucial desexing, vaccination and microchipping for 300 dogs and 300 cats.

Desexing pets easier

The SPCA has partnered with Bay of Island Vets and Coast to Coast Cat Rescue to fund crucial desexing, vaccination and microchipping for 300 dogs and 300 cats across Northland. The initiative will take place over the next eight months. Desexing these animals is estimated to prevent the birth of more than 18,900 unwanted offspring. The Bay of Islands Veterinary Services will carry out the procedures at their clinics and will be organising the bookings for the cats and dogs with the help of local rescue groups, which will transport animals if required. Coast to Coast Cat Rescue, a newly-formed charity, will also be organising bookings for cats to be desexed. The SPCA is also working alongside Kerikeri Highway Vets, funding a desexing programme for cat and dog owners in the North Hokianga region. For more information, contact Bay of Island Veterinary Services at any of their clinics, or Coast to Coast Cat Rescue through their Facebook page.

Mid-winter swim

The Bay of Island Yacht Club is celebrating the shortest day of the year with a mid-winter plunge from Waitangi Wharf. The free event, which aims to raise awareness of ocean quality in Aotearoa, will run from 6pm-6.30pm on June 22. All welcome.

Pool upgrade

Plans to upgrade Kāeo’s public pool have been given a leg-up with a $28,773 grant from the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board. The Whangaroa Recreation and Community Trust, which operates the outdoor Whangaroa Community Pool during the summer months, had sought $33,693 from the board for a pool improvement project, expected to cost more than $67,000. The project aims to make the pool more inclusive with ramps to improve accessibility, more seating, picnic and shade areas, and more swimming lessons. The community board grant is earmarked for repainting the pool and buildings, improved disability access, lifeguard and first aid training, maintenance and operational costs. The trust receives an annual grant from the Far North District Council to operate the pool but that doesn’t include funding for upgrades. No significant upgrade has been carried out for more than 10 years.

Crash victims named

Police have released the names of two people who died in a two-truck crash on State Highway 10 near Kaingaroa, in the Far North, on May 30. They were Rachel Jean Phillips, 39, of Whangārei, and Anaru Tamati Taane, 30, of Auckland. One driver died at the scene while the other suffered critical injuries and died on the way to hospital. A police investigation into the crash is ongoing.

St John appeal

This June, Hato Hone St John in Northland is trying to raise $150,000 to buy generators for its stations in the region without a generator. People can donate as little as $2 via lighttheway.stjohn.org.nz/st-john-northland-district or by direct credit to St John’s Northland District fund: 12-3244-0025048-01. The reference is “annual appeal Northland generators”.