Hamilton dog owners called on to join charity walk

Hayley Mosen with her tri-pod cat, Faith. Photo / Tom Rowland

The SPCA is calling for Kiwis and their canine companions to join the pack and sign up for this year's Great NZ Paws Walk.

The healthy fundraiser is aiming for thousands of New Zealanders to join their local walking events on November 9 to fight animal cruelty.

Hamilton's SPCA continues to help care and rehome animals that have suffered cruel treatment, with one success story being the rehoming of a 7-year-old tripod cat, Faith.

Faith was found by a member of the public with a misshapen leg. It was an old fracture that hadn't been treated well, resulting in the bone healing incorrectly which would have caused Faith significant pain. The vets decided the leg needed to be removed. Faith was sent to a foster home to learn how to be a tripod and has now found a forever home with Sarah Mosen and her daughter Hayley.

Hayley has Ehlers-Danos syndrome, which affects connective tissues in the joints and skin. They chose Faith because of her health issues.

"We wanted an animal that had similar outcomes in life, so they could heal each other and that is why Hayley called her Faith," Ms Mosen said.

"Faith took a little while to trust people again, but she has settled in really well and now she is quite a needy cat where she is really keen to be around people and touching someone."

Faith is one of many animals Ms Mosen has adopted from the SPCA rescue shelter, and urges other to do the same.

"I would rather give my love to an abandoned animal than someone who just wants profit."

The Great NZ Paws Walk is also a way that members of the public can directly help the SPCA.

"Without the help of the public, our SPCA team wouldn't be able to help the 41,000 animals that come through our doors each year. Donations from New Zealanders help rescue and rehome sick, injured and abused animals,"SPCA CEO Andrea Midgen says.

SPCA aims to raise at least $150,000 nationwide through the Great NZ Paws Walk. All funds help to fight animal cruelty and give animals in need a second chance at life.

Ms Midgen said: "One of SPCA's key priorities next year is desexing. In the last 12 months we have helped nearly 30,000 animals be desexed."

To get involved, all participants must do is set up a fundraising page, ask their friends and family to sponsor them and join a host of Kiwi animal lovers in their local Great NZ Paws Walk.

Between 2018 and 2019, SPCA reported attending more than 8,600 ambulance callouts across New Zealand — helping to rescue, transport and collect sick, injured and neglected animals in need.

For more information, go to www.greatpawswalk.co.nz