A Cape Town animal welfare facility is howling with joy after securing enough funds to update its security following four break-ins in June.
Two weeks after Weekend Argus reported on the concerns raised by the Animal Rescue Organisation (ARO) over break-ins experienced at its Ottery branch, the organisation has raised more than R80 000 to beef up security.
A robbery that took place in January last year, during which six armed men pretending to be clients entered the facility and ran off with computers, cellphones and personal belongings of staff members, became the first of a number of incidents that spooked employees.
Last month, ARO said despite their efforts to tighten security, four robberies occurred in a period of three weeks in June, leaving staff traumatised.
Spokesperson for ARO, Lindsey Concer, said the organisation had recently upgraded a cottage on its property so that two staff members could stay on site to care for the animals after hours, over weekends and on public holidays.
Concer thanked all those who dug into their pockets to assist their organisation.
“On behalf of everyone at ARO, I would like to express our most heartfelt gratitude to our donors who supported our appeal to upgrade our security.
“Your generous donations added up to over R80 000.
“This covers all the costs of the upgrades we intend to do on the cottage and grounds as well as contributing to the increases on our monthly payments to the alarm company,” she said.