Cape Town - TEARS Animal Rescue appealed to the public to help them feed hungry, starving and hypothermic homeless animals rescued daily during the cold Cape Town winter.
Head of marketing and fundraising Lara van Rensburg said winter weather posed a massive threat to many homeless people and animals - thus they were seeking animal food, fleece blankets, dog beds, towels, waterproof covers, kennels or donations towards specific items on their website through their Give Warmth campaign.
“The reality is that animals without shelter do not always make it through the harsh conditions of winter, especially if they’re only being fed small scraps. The benefit of some insulation and protection that comes with a kennel can sometimes make the difference between life and death for food-deprived pets who are mostly chained and unable to forage for food,” said Van Rensburg.
Van Rensburg said animal welfare organisations across the peninsula continued to deal with numerous health-care and animal welfare challenges long after the Covid-19 lockdown was lifted.
TEARS was forced to close its non-essential veterinary services and mobile clinic for several months due to the restrictions and, as a result, wasn’t able to offer the same rescue and welfare vaccination, dipping and sterilisation services normally provided in low-income communities.
Operations manager Mandy Store said despite providing kennels, blankets and additional pet food when available, the TEARS Veterinary Hospital reported continued pet deaths due to hypothermia, exposure to the elements and severe malnutrition.