Help animals brave the cold at the Delmas Animal Shelter

Well-known in the Delmas area are the mother and daughter team of Ms Jorinda and Ms Jolandie Verwey, who runs an animal shelter on a farm where they care for neglected and stray animals.

These animals include dogs, cats, donkeys, horses, pigs, bunnies, birds and whatever lands on their doorstep.

The Delmas Animal Shelter currently takes care of 300 animals in total.

“Animals are sometimes left outside, badly neglected, some beaten and malnourished. It is not always a pretty face to see animals in such distress, but we care and try to help every animal,” the Verwey-women told Streeknuus.

With South Africa in a constant state of emergency due to Covid-19 since March 2020, they did not only run short on supplies, but the public also brought animals to the shelter.

People were suddenly without an income and could no longer feed their animals, and once again, the caring mom and daughter team took the animals in, but on the other hand, suffered a severe shortage of supplies.

“Companion animals often become the biggest casualties when economic hardships hit, which in turn lead to an increase in homelessness, neglect and abuse,” said Ms Jorinda Verwey.

The Delmas Animal Shelter was in many instances hard hit by nature. February, when hard rain continued to pour down in the region, was one of those times.

With food stocks low, blankets wet and roads inaccessible for vehicles to come and go, the two women went through a tough time. Then, in the middle of July’s sudden extreme cold weather knocked the most parts of South Africa, including Delmas and its surroundings.

Once again the Verwey women are struggling with the day-to-day caring of various animals in the cold.

“We realise that everyone is currently feeling the pinch, you can therefore imagine what a struggle it has become for shelters and welfare organisations to survive in the present economic environment. We are therefore desperately appealing to the public to reach out and help the
Delmas Animal Shelter to be able to keep doing what we love and care most about in life, namely animals in distress.”

“We are in desperate need of dry and tinned food for cats and dogs, grass for farm animals as well as blankets, cleaning supplies such as refuse bins, dishwashing soap, disinfectants, Handy Andy and washing powder.

“These are products we use every day and we cannot ever have enough.”

Cash donations are also greatly welcomed as the Delmas Animal Shelter has to pay monthly expenses such as wages, rent and electricity bills.

The public can visit the Delmas Animal Shelter and consider adopting an animal.

“With the public’s support, we can help animals in need. Please assist us in fulfilling our mission.”

The Delmas Animal Shelter is a non-profit company (NPC) with registration no. 2018/ 275291 / 08.

For more information, them on 060 613 1048 or 076 808 6684.

You can also find their bank account details on the Delmas Animal Shelter Facebook page.