PHALABORWA – For the past four years, the Phalaborwa Animal Welfare Society (Paws) has dedicated itself to rescuing feral cats and dogs in Phalaborwa.

Paws, a NPO, was founded in 2021 by a group of residents who recognised a gap in animal welfare and education in the Ba-Phalaborwa area. The organisation was established by four board members, including Mary Grobler and Andie Condogiannis.

One of the reasons Paws was created is that Condogiannis had previously worked for the Phalaborwa SPCA as a manager and chairperson.

After leaving the SPCA, she helped establish Paws in a way that would benefit the community and local animals.

Paws offers a range of services, including a Trap, Neuter and Release (TNR) programme that traps, sterilises and releases feral cats.

The TNR programme aims to reduce the overpopulation of feral colonies and plays a vital role in preventing the inbreeding of the endangered African wildcat in the Kruger National Park.

Feeding stations strain limited resources

The organisation also takes in stray cats and dogs, arranges veterinary care for them, and provides ongoing support. Paws currently maintains 26 feral feeding stations throughout town, each supporting between 10 and 30 cats.

These stations are monitored closely so that any new arrivals can be identified, trapped, and sterilised.

“We currently don’t have a place or shelter of our own. I take care of the kittens in my home. At the moment, I have eight kittens and a dog that I’m looking after myself,” Grobler said.

She said that Paws receives no government or private institutional funding and relies on fundraising and community support.

“It is a costly initiative. It costs roughly R18 000 a month for cat food alone to feed the stations every second day. We use around 40kg of cat food for the 26 stations,” she explained.

At present, they are only able to feed the cats once or twice a week due to financial constraints.

“We humbly ask the community to continue supporting us monthly so that we may help those who cannot ask or speak for themselves. All animals are God’s creation, and we as humans were placed above them to care for them,” Grobler said.

Pound recognition request declined, new bid planned

Grobler told the Herald that Paws previously submitted a proposal to Ba-Phalaborwa Mayor Merriam Malatji and the former municipal manager to be recognised as a pound, but the request was declined.

The organisation plans to submit a new proposal to the current municipal manager, Thabitha Mokobi, in the hope that it will be approved.

The public can follow Paws online or call 072 018 2258 or 076 635 8697 for more information.

The Herald would also like to clarify that Paws did not launch a petition to become a pound because of the recent passing of Leo, the husky dog. The petition was started six months before Leo’s death.

Also read: Phalaborwa divided after SPCA euthanises family’s pet husky

Paws emphasises that it does not involve itself in SPCA matters.

Its goal is simply to become a recognised pound so that it can operate more effectively, although this remains difficult due to limited funding.