I explained about the cat and kittens being dumped here, then I was told to hold the line. She came back and said no, Awanui was full and couldn't take any more cats and kittens. Her tone was very rude and abrupt, and that was obviously going to be the end of this conversation.
I asked what was the next step, and in this situation what was I to do? I told her I was in my 80s, and no way could I cope with these animals.
I was asked if I had fed the cat. I said no, whereupon she said, "Don't feed her. Leave her alone. Don't go near them. Maybe they'll go somewhere else."
That's when I lost my cool and said I thought the SPCA aims were to help animals. Was I supposed to let these animals starve to death? And if that was SPCA's attitude I was shocked and disgusted.
As I was expressing my opinion of the answer I had been given she asked me how the cat had got the kittens. Well I suppose she got them in the usual way. Did I need to give this female a talk on the birds and the bees?
She was telling me to listen to her, as the SPCA was a charity. I didn't give her any more time. I said yes, I did know that, as I had for many years made donations, but as my piddling little donation seemingly wasn't of much help in supporting animals in need, in future they could do without my piddling little donation.
No more donations from me.
As we all know, on Wednesday night and Thursday, April 12 and 13, we had torrential rain. While that female representative of the SPCA was tucked up in her nice warm bed, did she give that cat family a thought?
Next morning when she had breakfast, perhaps warm buttery toast and tea, did she spare a thought for the mother cat, perhaps struggling to have enough milk for her babies? Or maybe the little family had moved somewhere else, as suggested.
As for whoever had dumped this cat family, if you have children, how do you look them in the eye and explain where their pets have gone?
The irony of this situation as I see it is when I was told to leave the animals alone, don't feed them, maybe they'll go somewhere else, that is cruelty. If I had said to someone, catch these animals, put them in a sack with some rocks and throw them in the river, or hit then on the head with a hammer, we'd be charged with cruelty.
Enough said.
AN ANGRY, DISGUSTED EX-SPCA SUPPORTER
Kaitaia
Bay of Islands/Kaitaia and Districts SPCA manager John Logie responds:
In regards to the actual of cats wandering on to people's property, it is often uncertain if the cat is a cat or merely a queen seeking a safe place for her litter to be born, which may be away from her home. Often these cats will go home.
The caller is correct that the SPCA is a charity, reliant on the goodwill of the community, but we are limited in our capacity and ability to help, and so we must prioritise our work. Unfortunately that occasionally means sick and injured animals must take precedence over what may otherwise be considered healthy animals.
* Mr Logie added he was concerned that the correspondent had not had a positive experience, and undertook to investigate her complaint. - Editor
