The Star: January 17, 2019
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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong> Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi<br />
Thursday <strong>January</strong> <strong>17</strong> <strong>2019</strong> 9<br />
News<br />
CHRISTCHURCH<br />
CASINO’S<br />
WIDE-EYED:<br />
Donna<br />
Sologar<br />
SPCA feline<br />
animal care<br />
team leader<br />
cares for a<br />
six-week-old<br />
kitten.<br />
SPCA running close to<br />
maximum capacity<br />
Earlier this month, a<br />
kitten trapped inside<br />
a shoebox was thrown<br />
from a moving vehicle in<br />
New Brighton. Reporter<br />
Sophie Cornish speaks<br />
to SPCA Canterbury<br />
about the busy holiday<br />
season it has had so far<br />
A RECORD-LEVEL kitten season<br />
is seeing SPCA Canterbury’s<br />
facility filling up quickly.<br />
SPCA southern region general<br />
managerBarry Helem believes this<br />
year’s season, which could continue<br />
through to March and April,<br />
could stretch SPCA resources.<br />
As of last week, there were 388<br />
animals in the SPCA’s care, with<br />
<strong>17</strong>8 being in foster care.<br />
<strong>The</strong> usual capacity for the centre<br />
is around <strong>17</strong>0-180.<br />
“It is right up there, close to<br />
record levels . . . we are probably<br />
on-track to exceed 3000 animals<br />
for the year, as of the end of last<br />
year. That’s a lot of animals,” said<br />
Mr Helem.<br />
“We are really dependent on our<br />
volunteer-base to care for these<br />
animals in a home environment,<br />
so we don’t over-crowd our<br />
INQUISITIVE:<br />
Ten-weekold<br />
kittens<br />
wanting a<br />
good home.<br />
facilities,” he said.<br />
Historically, the summer season<br />
brings a raft of complaints to<br />
SPCA about dogs locked inside<br />
parked vehicles.<br />
Mr Helem said this year the<br />
centre has only had about three<br />
or four complaints so far and he<br />
believes the “plenty of publicity<br />
which has tried to educate the<br />
public over a number of years”<br />
has shown there is now good<br />
awareness of the issue.<br />
SPCA and police are still<br />
working to find the offenders<br />
who threw Brighton the<br />
kitten from a moving vehicle<br />
on <strong>January</strong> 9.<br />
<strong>The</strong> shoebox, in which<br />
Brighton was trapped inside,<br />
has been passed on to police<br />
for forensic investigation.<br />
<strong>The</strong> box was thrown out on<br />
New Brighton Rd landing on<br />
red zone land, not far from<br />
the Bower Tavern.<br />
A witness provided a<br />
description of the vehicle as<br />
a silver Holden Commodore<br />
with a different coloured back<br />
left door panel which was<br />
However, an on-going issue is<br />
dog owners exercising their pets<br />
during hot temperatures.<br />
“We need to have more awareness<br />
around this,” said Mr Helem.<br />
“If you can’t put the palm of<br />
your hand on the pavement for<br />
more than five seconds, it’s too hot<br />
for your dog’s paws.”<br />
SPCA recommends people<br />
exercising their dogs in the cooler<br />
hours of the morning or in the<br />
evening.<br />
possibly a brown or maroon<br />
colour.<br />
Brighton has severe cat flu<br />
and was distressed following<br />
the ordeal.<br />
•Do you have information on<br />
Brighton’s plight? Phone the<br />
SPCA on 349 7057.<br />
$<br />
10,000<br />
CASH<br />
MUST GO<br />
tonight!<br />
ENTRY IS FREE<br />
$5,000 CASH<br />
MUST GO FRIDAY<br />
Receive a free wristband<br />
when you visit on Thursday<br />
between 7pm-9.55pm.<br />
Winners must be present.<br />
VISIT CHCHCASINO.co.nz FOR T&C’S
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