A meeting of financial members of the Kaitaia branch of the SPCA voted overwhelmingly last week to enter an "assimilation" contract with the Bay of Islands branch, and to set up a local group whose sole task will be to raise the $120,000 needed by Kaitaia every year.
The meeting got off to a slightly testy start when some of the 100-odd people who turned out took exception to being told that they could not vote if they had not been financial members for at least three months, as required by the constitution.
That left just eight people entitled to vote for assimilation or to retain the status quo, although as it happened a mass show of hands finally decided the issue unequivocally.
Alan Wilson, the SPCA's national manager, said that while the decision was for Kaitaia to make, the status quo was untenable. The branch would be broke within a year, and given it's history of collapsing, and requiring intervention by the national office, it was unlikely to have a future.
Bay of Islands, meanwhile, could provide the administrative services required, and ensure that animals in the very Far North continued to receive the protection they deserved. The contract to assimilate would be reviewed in two years.
The situation was not unique to Kaitaia, he added. Eight branches around the country were currently in the same position.
He emphasised that the Kaitaia branch would remain a legal entity, and that there was nothing in the assimilation process that would advantage the Bay of Islands.
"They just see a need and want to respond to it," he said.
"They want Kaitaia to have an SPCA."
Bay of Islands manager John Logie said all that was in the proposal for the Bay of Islands was a lot of work, but the process that had evolved since August last year, when the Kaitaia committee collapsed, was working well.
Kaitaia would continue to operate an animal rescue centre at Awanui (thanks to the generous support of Jon Brennan), and would be served by a warranted inspector.
The mood was a little ambivalent to begin with, but long-time animal advocate Valeska Haturu-Butters said it was a matter of deciding what to do now to change what had not worked in the past.
"Let's get rid of the rubbish and find a new way of doing things," she said.
Mr Logie said later that he had been very impressed with Kaitaia's response.
"I have never seen a turnout out like that," he said.
"Kaitaia should be very proud of itself. All sorts of people from all walks of life stood up for the SPCA today. I am very proud to be associated with Kaitaia, and we will do our very best to get it back on track."