#MyFirstChristmas campaign encourages public to sponsor homeless pets over the holidays

Animal shelters are again under festive season pressure, with a rise in pet abandonment and irresponsible handovers linked to holiday travel. 

The Mdzananda Animal Clinic based in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, says it is seeing new trends this year, including owners leaving animals behind after sterilisation procedures, or attempting to surrender pets just days before leaving to go on holiday.

"We're full, we don't have space to board animals. People are not being responsible in looking after their animals", states the clinic's Fundraising and Communications Executive, Marcelle du Plessis.

To ease the burden and raise awareness, the shelter has launched its #MyFirstChristmas campaign, encouraging the public to sponsor homeless animals over the festive season. 

"Most of these little animals that are with us in our shelter haven't had a Christmas before, so they're having their first Christmas in the shelter. We're encouraging people to go look on our website or look on our social media and see if there's a little pet that you would like to sponsor for their first Christmas."

Sponsorship options range from R25 to R1,000:

R25: A good cuddle and treat
R50: Help get rid of nasty fleas and ticks
R85: A vaccination to keep them healthy
R165: Yummy food for one week
R500: Sponsor a pet for a whole month
R650: Sterilise your darling
R1,000: All the above 

To listen to Marcelle du Plessis in conversation with CapeTalk's Clarence Ford, click the audio below: