A dream come true

STILL BAY NEWS - From small beginnings some 26 years ago, in 1995, a group of selfless animal lovers decided to start an organisation called Still Bay Animal Protection.

This was established to ensure the protection and well-being of the fur babies in the area of Still Bay. It was, what was called then, a charity organisation staffed by volunteers working solely on funds donated by the public.

Primarily, the intention back then (much as it still is today), was to offer support and assistance to animals of families that were either underprivileged, or had no means to get the animal to a veterinary facility.

What could be done on site was done and when necessary, the injured or sick animals were transported in private vehicles to the nearest vet.

In 2005 the organisation took a leap of faith and purchased a panel van. This served as the mode of transport for the volunteers, as well as a facility to carry medical supplies and a dedicated area at the back to transport sick or injured animals.

That vehicle served the purposes of Still Bay Animal protection for 16 years and in that time, managed to clock up in excess of 150 000 kilometres, whilst bringing much comfort and relief to its furry passengers.

"Three years ago, early in 2018 we came to the realisation that the panel van had become inadequate to serve the revised needs of the organisation and of the community. The number of residents in Still Bay had grown dramatically and in turn the furry population followed suit. More people, equals more pets, equals more call outs, equals revised strategy. We needed a more reliable vehicle with fitted accessible storage space and a pull out working table at the back of the vehicle to tend to the injured animals," said Brian Fraser of the animal protection team.

They launched what they called their Animal Ambulance Campaign and the response they received from sponsors, supporters and donors was incredible. "We settled for the new Opel Cargo Van and were blessed with a double discount. Opel South Africa gave us a substantial discount and this amount was matched by the dealership in George, who also paid our on the road costs."

Without the ongoing support from everyone concerned none of this would have been possible. So as a team, Still Bay Animal Protection will be forever indebted, thankful and grateful to everyone who made this dream come true.

"We look forward to continuing our dedicated service to the amazing community of Still Bay and trust we can continue to enjoy your continued support, as we strive to make things better for all the fur babies who can't speak for themselves."

Still Bay Animal Protection is the proud owners of this new panel van.