Polokwane SPCA opens animal clinic

The Polokwane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) fulfilled a longstanding dream when opening the Mollie Hawken Animal Clinic on the premises last Thursday.
Hawken, a well-known businessperson of Polokwane and animal lover was the owner of the smallholding from where the society is presently operating. She left the property to the society in her will.
This is all thanks to residents who have been supporting the society’s SPCA Charity shop in Savannah Mall and businesspersons who extended a helping hand in order to make the project a success.

Tania le Roux, SPCA Polokwane Chairperson said it took some convincing to get the management committee to agree to open a charity shop to raise money for the animal clinic. She said the shop, trading mostly in donated items, thrived and soon possibility became a reality and the clinic could be built.
She indicated that, having raised half the money needed, they had to embark on a mission to find a veterinarian because there couldn’t be a clinic without a vet.
“We could never afford the full time services of a vet. But before I could even start to worry where we would find one, Hennie and Ansie de Kock contacted me and asked me if I would like to meet Dr Nadia Krige who wanted to assist the SPCA in opening a clinic,” she explained, adding that the project was completed with a small amount of money and a lot of challenges.

Timene Watt, an animal rescuer for more than seven years and representative of Rokkon Development Company which helped in the development of the clinic, emphasised that Polo­kwane SPCA clinic is only the fourth in the country and that Rokkon was among many other sponsors who made the clinic project a success. She said although the Polokwane branch of the society had a bad reputation back in the recent past she nevertheless wanted to urge residents to support the organisation because it was very different from when it first started.

Watt further said the business community should assist such organisations as often as possible and repeated that Rokkon would assist the SPCA with maintenance of the clinic. The clinic offers services such as consultation, sterilization and vaccination among others. Receptionist at the clinic, Chantele Watson emphasised it operates like any other animal clinics in the city except that they do not perform major surgery because they don’t have an X-ray machine at the moment.
She further said their rates are reasonable offers great service. For any enquiries, contact Polokwane SPCA on 063 4725 721 or visit plot 46 Roodepoort.

Story & photos: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za