KNYSNA NEWS - Knysna Animal Welfare Society (Kaws) is once again pleading with the community to lend a helping hand, as they are running out of space for animals after another busy festive season.

Every year, Kaws is overwhelmed by an influx of intakes over the December period as holidaymakers often drop their animals off at Kaws and don't fetch them again, or with all of the hustle and bustle some animals get scared and escape from their owners and become strays.

While there are owners who eventually make their way to Kaws and re-adopt, there are others who neglect to do so, meaning their animal stays at Kaws.

The recent December period was no different for the animal welfare shelter according to public relations officer Retha Havenga. More than 100 animals came in at Kaws due to owners dropping them off at the shelter.

"Donated animals, what we rather call unwanted, is when people don't want their animal anymore, and we had 89 dogs and 36 cats taken in in December," Havenga said. 

The number of strays which Kaws have taken in is thankfully not as bad, but still high, even though some have been reclaimed by their owners. "We had 24 stray dogs, and 13 stray cats, and of these animals only 12 went back to their owners."

Because of the high number of intakes, Kaws is requesting that the community supports the shelter in whatever way they can. While Havenga is aware that these are financially trying times for many people, it is even tougher for the animal welfares. 

"For animal-oriented charities, it's an especially difficult time, particularly if the shelter is acting as a pound where animals are kept and rehabilitated. Most pet shelters operate using only donations from the community, like us. Often, the number of resources our shelter has, doesn't even come close to the amount of need we face."

Seeing as it is sometimes difficult to part ways with your hard-earned cash, Havenga did provide alternative ways to aid Kaws other than financial donations.

"You don't have to spend a fortune to help animals in need," she said. "You can volunteer time with animals at fundraising events, donate partially-used pet supplies, adopt from a shelter, donate unwanted household items to the Kaws charity shop, and of course food and treat donations are always welcome."

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