Nor'West News: February 13, 2018

4 Tuesday February 13 2018
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
News
McMaster & Heap
Veterinary practice
Charity work
For a while now, Steve and I have helped
out charity organizations in Christchurch.
We are involved with CPL, redzonecats and
more recently the SPCA. We all really enjoy
the involvement and working relationship
we have with these organizations, ensuring
that these animals get “Gold” Standard
treatment and care in our hospital, just like
any of our pets would receive.
Megan and a tabby kitten in for desexing.
What has amazed me is the total
commitment , kindness and compassion
the inspectors, fosterers, vets and carers we
have dealt with have for these homeless,
sick and often abused animals. Many of
these people work voluntarily. It is not an
easy job, physically or emotionally. They
see a lot of things we shouldn’t have to
be exposed to. They often transform
their homes to cater for the fast growing
number of cats to care for. They do the
very best in terms of nutrition and pet care.
They genuinely care and want to improve
the life and health for this animal.
Working with the CPL means we mainly
desex, microchip and vaccinate kittens who
are living with fosterers until they are ready
to be put up for adoption. One of the best
parts of our day is cuddling these kittens
– all are so cute and huggable. Robyn
who we liase with, has worked tirelessly
and voluntarily for over 25 years for the
CPL and is just one of the kindest most
generous people I know. She makes a huge
difference in the lives of those kittens and
has a dedicated team of fosterers to help.
CPL kittens awaiting their surgery.
Redzonecats also do a remarkable job,
a job no one else was prepared to do, in
that they carefully monitor and trap stray
cats in earthquake redzoned areas and
endeavor to find their previous owners or
socialize and rehome these cats to loving
families. Many of these cats have been
alone and “just surviving” since 2011 and
Open 7 days
Cnr Hoon Hay & Coppell place
phone 338 2534, Fax 339 8624
e. mcmasterandheap@yahoo.co.nz
www.mcmasterheap.co.nz
so are difficult for us to handle without
sedation. Initially we check these cats for
FIV and FeLV ( Feline Aids or Feline leukemia
Virus) and if they test negative we will often
desex and vaccinate these cats, perform
dentistry on mouths that require it, and
groom or xray where appropriate. These
cats are given a fantastic chance and we
all treat them with respect, kindness and
humility. We love helping out Jane and her
cats. Another outstanding woman who
genuinely cares about animals.
Recently we have started working
alongside the SPCA. This has been
particularly rewarding diagnosing and
treating these animals to the best of
our ability and providing them with a
level of kindness and care they often
haven’t experienced before. The SPCA
inspectors we deal with are a wonderful
bunch of passionate, gentle people who
are solely dedicated to helping improve
the lives of the animals in their care. We
examine sick and uplifted animals, provide
diagnostics such as xrays, blood testing
and ultrasounds where necessary and
we provide intensive care monitoring if
needed. Due to being open 7 days, the
weekends can often be busy checking out
SPCA patients and providing a treatment
plan.
We even see tortoises - here Kirsty is
performing a hind leg amputation
to save its life.
Steve and I are very proud to be
associated with the above organizations
and we have met some fabulous people
along the way, who all share our views
that a pets’ life is just as important as our
own, and these special furry friends of ours
should be treated and cared for exactly
the same. We are all headed in the same
direction whereby we want to decrease
animal abuse and abandonment by way of
providing the correct education to people,
care that is affordable and showing respect
and kindness to everyone, regardless of
where they come from. Everyone does
deserve the love and companionship of
owning a pet but it’s not a decision to be
taken lightly and the correct advice and
education from us as health professionals is
vitally important for a successful outcome.
Dr Michele McMaster
For more information on the work these
organizations do and if you are looking at
adopting a pet please visit their websites
– redzonecats.org.nz, cats.org.nz and
spcacanterbury.org.nz
McMaster & Heap
Overflowing bins ‘frustrate’
•From page 1
Mr Adams said just
like the Sumner beaches,
the “elephant” park is
used more frequently in
summer and the bins are
overflowing every week.
Saturday and Sundays
nights are the worst before
the bin is cleared on Monday
morning, Mr Adams
said. He said the windy
summer has meant litter
has blown around the park.
“When they clear it,
they only pick up rubbish
around the bin. It can go for
miles if it’s really blowing.”
City council operations
manager neighbourhood
and sports parks Al Hardy
said the number of times
the three bins at the park
are cleared was increased
to four times a week over
summer.
“A programme for regular
visits is put in place. Where
a call is received outside
what is planned, contractors
will then organise to
empty the bins concerned.”
But Mr Adams said that
is not enough.
He has contacted the city
council on multiple occasions
via telephone, email
and its Snap Send Solve app
CLEAN UP: Graham Adams took this photo of
rubbish piling up at Bishopdale Park last week.
to report overflowing bins
in the park.
Mr Hardy said the city
council had received five
complaints about overflowing
bins in the last year.
Mr Adams said it was
not “rocket science” to see
that the bins needed to be
bigger. He said he spoke
to someone from the city
council parks team about
the idea. “They assured
me it would be done.” But
Mr Hardy said there was
no report of a request for
larger bins. “Just reports of
overflowing bins.”
Signs for my petition to support the
Christchurch Northern motorway
extension from Belfast to Pegasus
have gone up around the electorate.
Last year, National committed to
the next tranche of major roading
projects to support the growth of
our regions. These build on the
success of projects like our Western
Belfast Bypass. We know it is through
integrated traffic solutions that we
can move our motorists through
our regions smoothly. We need a
firm commitment from Government
that these projects will go ahead as
promised in Budget 2017 and that
funding from the National Land
Transport Fund is not diverted to rail
projects in Auckland. Sign my petition
at www.mattdoocey.national.org.nz/
save_the_christchurch_northern_
motorway
Ensuring our region of Canterbury
is resourced for its regeneration
and growth is my priority and as
Funded by Parliamentary Service and authorised by
Matt Doocey MP, Level 1, Conway Lane, Rangiora.
NOR’WEST NEWS
He said the city council’s
contractors would recommend
if a larger bin was
required, but had not in the
case of Bishopdale.
And he said each site is
monitored individually
according to its needs and
the city council regularly
reviews complaints and
monitors the number of
times bins are cleared.
“The need to adjust the
frequency of emptying bins,
pending events within the
park, general park usage,
sports use and seasonal
changes,” he said.
Spokesperson for Christchurch
Regeneration I am looking forward
to joining my fellow Canterbury
MPs for a robust discussion at the
Piano: Centre for Music and Arts in
Armagh Street on 12 February as we
talk about where we see the future
for our region. As a Canterbury MP,
I want to make certain that South
Island representation is strong when
decisions are made in Parliament.
The first of my community
discussions on our shared
experiences around mental health
kicks off on 26 March in the Rangiora
Town Hall at 7.30pm. Paul Lynch,
author of “Suicide; Aftermath and
Beyond” will challenge our current
approach to suicide and the Mental
Health team at the Canterbury Rural
PHO will be on hand to streamline
people on how to access help. We
are all in this together.