
VETERINARIAN Renee Vanrheedevanhoudshoorn and her helpers Jenny Putter, Ettiene Putter and Australian volunteer Erica Henriksen visited Port Alfred SPCA over the weekend with a target of neutering 150 dogs.
They represent a non-profit organisation, Community Veterinary Services South Africa (CVSSA), based in Pretoria who focuses their work on sterilising animals in rural areas where veterinary services are often unavailable.
It is the third year in a row that the team sponsored by German company, Welttierschutzgesellschaft (WTG), has visited Port Alfred to assist the local SPCA with neutering dogs.
WTG, based in Berlin, Germany, is a registered non-profit organisation with the vision of a world in which animals are appreciated and treated according to their needs.
The team sponsored by WTG are also dependent on outside funding to continue the work they do.
“We try helping communities who help themselves. We offer our services to the neediest of people,” said Vanrheedevanhoudshoorn.
The team also spends time engaging disadvantaged communities on humane education and pet care.
Port Alfred and Ndlambe District SPCA chief inspector Anel Slabbert said they were extremely grateful for being selected by CVSSA.
“We are so fortunate that they have approached us and want to help our community. I have so much respect for the work they do,” said Slabbert.