Waikato SPCA reopens under new management

SPCA New Zealand CEO Andrea Midgen.

The Waikato SPCA Committee officially resigned in January, allowing the centre to be brought under the management of SPCA New Zealand.

The premises' animal welfare services started being reinsatated on Tuesday, January 31, with services being provided by appointment only.

"We will be bringing back more services as funding allows," SPCA New Zealand CEO Andrea Midgen told Hamilton News.

"The animal adoption areas will be open again shortly, and we also plan to start rebuilding our foster family programme.

"But even while the physical Waikato Centre was closed, some of our most critical work has continued. This includes the SPCA Inspectorate animal welfare investigations and prosecutions, the SPCA education programme in Waikato schools, and our animal advocacy work."

The Waikato SPCA Committee made the decision to resign after years of overreaching and attempting to do too much with limited resources.

Midgen said that under SPCA New Zealand's management, the Waikato SPCA would become sustainable again.

"SPCA New Zealand has undergone a review on the centre and has developed a robust fundraising plan to help ensure the centre is sustainable in the long-term," she said.

"Right now there are no urgent financial concerns, but given that the SPCA is a charity that receives no automatic government funding, fundraising and community support will be essential to long-term success."

The SPCA wanted to express its thanks to the Waikato community, other animal rescue organisations and Hamilton City Council, who helped hold the operation together, caring for and rehoming animals, leading up to the changeover in management.

"We're confident that under this new management, Waikato SPCA will come back stronger than ever and be able to do more for the animals in the Waikato community," said Midgen.

"We have several volunteers at Waikato SPCA, some of whom have been with us for a long time. No SPCA centre would be able to do the work we do without the help of our volunteers.

"Once we start bringing back more animal services, we will be looking for volunteers to assist and we're hopeful the Waikato community will be there to support the animals once more."

Midgen said there was no backlog of animals at Waikato SPCA. When resources were stretched and did not allow an animal to be served on the premises, they were transferred to neighbouring SPCAs were they could be treated and rehomed.

She added that animals at Waikato SPCA are now receiving the care they need, and it is hoped the centre will open to the Waikato public for adoptions in the near future.