Wellington SPCA

November 22, 2011

Vacancy – Veterinary Nurse

Veterinary Nurse

The Wellington SPCA currently has a vacancy for an experienced veterinary nurse at the Newtown Centre. This is your chance to make a positive difference in the community by being an integral part of a highly-respected Wellington icon.

Reporting to the Practice manager / Senior veterinary nurse, this role will primarily focus on the provision of assistance to the veterinary surgeon both before, during and after procedures. The veterinary care team based at the Newtown Shelter provides for a wide range of animals, both in the care of the Wellington SPCA shelter and clients of Wellington SPCA vet clinic.

This exciting role also includes the general care of hospitalised animals, including pre/post-operative care and the feeding, monitoring, medicating and exercising of animals, as well as administration duties and liaison with animal owners and caregivers.

Key requirements for this role:
• Veterinary nursing qualifications (Certificate or Diploma NZQA equivalent) and min. three years experience as a Veterinary Nurse preferred
• Able to multi-task and easily adapt to a multitude of situations
• Ability to deal with the public in person and over the telephone
• Empathy towards all animals, and confidence and experience in handling a wide variety of animals (domestic, feral and wildlife)
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Able to educate, supervise and support volunteer staff
• Enthusiastic attitude and have willingness to up skill with in-house training and continuing education (supported by Wellington SPCA)
• Ideally able to start in time for the busy Christmas period.

For a position description, please email info@wellingtonspca.org.nz

To apply for this vacancy please send your CV and a covering letter to info@wellingtonspca.org.nz or post to:
Practice manager / Senior veterinary nurse
Wellington SPCA
305 Mansfield Street
Newtown, Wellington 6021

November 21, 2011

Topics: Happy Tails /Latest

The tails of Duffy and Pete

Today we have a story from Ruth about how her two cats came into her life. Find out more about how you can adopt from Welllington SPCA here.

I have a wee cat who I adopted a two years ago – I noticed her in a cage when I was picking up a hedgehog for fostering from the Wellington SPCA and it was love at first sight. She had been found wandering in the Hutt Valley, really sick, needed intravenous fluids and lots of care. The vets saved her life and she has been a joy to have in my life ever since.

Duffy when she first got home from the SPCA

Duffy now

A year ago I added Pete to the family.

Pete was kind of chosen for me…. I came into the SPCA and said I wanted to adopt a kitten. The kitten carer asked me how old Duffy was, and suggested a get a kitten at least three months old. There were several four month old kittens in the cage – three I thought were absolutely gorgeous, but the carer picked out what I thought was a scruffy little thing, and said “Look at him, isn’t he magnificent?”. No, I thought! But I held him and he purred and over the next hour I fell in love with the scruffy wee black scrap.

Pete at four months

I took him home – despite being advised to keep him in the spare room for a few days, I took pity on him that night. He hopped into bed with me and slept in the crook of my neck. We’ve hardly spent a night apart since. The next day I started introducing him to Duffy. She was fascinated – they started playing alongside each other straight away, and by the next day she was hooked. She would watch over him while he slept and would pin him down so she could wash him all over.

Duffy cleaning Pete's ear

When he was old enough to go outside she taught him how to climb trees. They are the best of friends, and my scruffy wee black scrap grew into the most handsome, fluffy young man.

Pete at ten months

Topics: Animal Crew /Latest

Animal Crew Animal Nights, November, December & January

Kids (6 to 12 years old) are invited to take part in our exciting upcoming Animal Crew animal nights. There will be two sessions each month jammed packed with fun and educational animal related activities.

Can you think of a better way for your young animal lover to learn about animals in a hands-on safe environment, all the while making friends, playing outrageous games, and hanging out and helping some amazing SPCA animals? At Wellington SPCA’s animal nights, kids can do all of these things. Kids will learn everything from how to train, care for, and be a responsible animal guardian, to learning how to make our community a safer place for pets. But kids are not the only ones who will have fun…we will also be spending a lot of time with specially selected centre animals.

Upcoming events include:

Puppy Socialising – Saturday 3rd December from 5pm to 6:30pm
Pet Responsibilities, Animal Night – Saturday 17th December from 5pm to 7pm
Puppy Socialising - Monday 23rd January from 5pm to 6:30pm
About the SPCA, Animal Night – Friday 27th January from 5pm to 7pm

Cost is $15 per session, and the Animals Nights are held at the Wellington SPCA Centre in Newtown. Spaces are limited and bookings are essential! Click here to regsiter your child, or contact Jen on 389 8044 ext 827 or by emailing AnimalCrew@wellingtonspca.org.nz

Topics: Latest

‘The Debt’ movie screening a success

A huge thank you to everyone who attended Robert Sansom’s charity movie screening of ‘The Debt’ at the Empire Cinema on Wednesday night.

Over $500 was raised thanks to both the tickets sold and the raffle held on the night, with businesses generously providing the prizes – including: The Lanes Bowling Alley, The Tasting Room, Thai Chef Restaurant, Exodus Health and Fitness Club, Empire Cinema and Café, Recovery Room Café, The Dominion Post, Pizza Napoli and The Wellington Phoenix. Thanks heaps for your support!

Rob’s next SPCA fundraising venture is an upcoming run – the New World Marlborough Marathon on 3rd December, in which he aims to raise a further $1,000 for the organisation. Click here to support Rob with this event: http://www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/RobertSansom and to wish him the best as he prepares for this big challenge. Cheers Rob!

November 17, 2011

Topics: Events /Fundraising /Latest

Red Dog movie premiere in Kapiti

Adapted from the novel of the same name by award-winning author Louis de Bernieres ‘Red Dog’ is the true story of a charismatic kelpie who united a mining community in North West Australia in the 1970s and 80s. The cast features Keisha Castle-Hughes and canine co-star Koko.

Downtown Cinemas Coastlands (Kapiti) is proud to present the first screening of Red Dog on Thursday 1^st December. Tickets for the movie premiere are $20 each; with $12 from the sale of each ticket being donated to Wellington SPCA’s Waikanae Animal Centre.

Included in the ticket price is a free Kapiti ice cream and a ‘goodie bag’ for everyone who attends this special screening. Thanks to the support of some wonderful local businesses ‘goodie bags’ include items donated by Paper Plus and Robert Harris Coastlands as well as discount vouchers from Nyco Chocolates and Showcase Jewellers.

Tickets can be purchased at The Candy Bar at Downtown Cinema Coastlands (available from Thursday 17^th November)

See trailer here

Downtown Cinema Coastlands (Kapiti) 150 Rimu Road, Paraparaumu

Thursday 1^st December

Doors open at 6.00pm – movie starts at 6.30pm

Topics: Fundraising

Have a slice of cake with the Waikanae SPCA team, and their furry friends

Staff, volunteers and animals from Wellington SPCA’s Waikanae Animal Centre will be at Downtown Cinema Coastlands Kapiti on Sunday 27^th November from 11am to 3pm. There will be a cake sale with delicious baked treats to buy. There will be a raffle with great prizes courtesy of local businesses such as Downtown Cinema Coastlands, Radius Pharmacy, Majella Candles, Hardy’s Health Store and Commonsense Organics Coastlands. All funds raised from the event go to Wellington SPCA’s Waikanae Animal Centre.

11am to 3pm, Sunday 27^th November | Downtown Cinema Coastlands

November 14, 2011

Topics: Appeals /Fundraising /Latest /Volunteer

Thank you for your support

To the wonderful volunteers and staff who made our Paws Appeal last Friday and Saturday so successful.

I never cease to be amazed by the level of support afforded to the Wellington SPCA by our volunteers and the community. Our collection days were well supported by 550 volunteers. Friday was a gorgeous day and this seemed to increase the positivity of the public who gave generously to the collection buckets held (but not rattled as, I am reliably informed, that is illegal) by everyone across the streets of Wellington.

Thank you to all of my staff who also got involved with the day, out there collecting side by side with our volunteers and engaging with the community. Several of you have conveyed how positive an experience this was and reaffirmed your choice of career with Wellington SPCA, which is great to hear. Stunning photographs of the event were captured by Jo Moore. You time and talent is much appreciated Jo. Thank you also to the team who kept the Centres ticking over while staff was on the streets. Biggest thanks have got to go to Suzanne, Renee, Annabel and Carrie in the Fundraising team who coordinated such a mammoth event so successfully.

It will be a few days before we know how much was raised, but irrespective of the total it has already provided a big success. It was great to see so many people walking around the CBD with Wellington SPCA stickers.

Thank you very, very much.

Iain Torrance

CEO of Wellington SPCA

Paws Appeal collection bucket. Photography by Jo Moore

Paws Appeal. Photography by Jo Moore

Topics: Happy Tails /Volunteer

Fostering brings muscateers and graciousness

Today we have a story from Jeanette Sullivan about her experiences fostering cats for us. If you’d like to foster, find out more information here.

I initially fostered three young kittens (about 7-8 weeks old) and after settling in for a day or so, they became very laid back and adventurous. They loved the spacious room I have for fostering and often when I was downstairs in the garage/workshop, I could hear them tearing across the room and having an absolute ball chasing each other around the room. They were a real distraction and I was fortunate enough to have them for 3 days before they were put up for adoption and taken straight away on the day they were returned.

Then I bought home a dear wee soul, a young female cat (7-8 months old) who had suffered a dislocated shoulder and fractured fema bone. She needed cage rest and for the first day or two was fairly quiet and I became worried when she had not used the litter tray for 2 days. I rang the shelter and was advised that sometimes an animal may go 2-3 days without using a litter tray, but I was reassured that this would probably right itself. Which it did the next morning.

I have called her Jahnar (which, according to Google means God is Gracious). She has come right out of her shell and we are getting to know each other well. She purrs continuously when I talk to her and pat her and I can hear her around 7-8pm having a great time playing with her toys, knocking over her food and water dishes and re-organising her litter tray. Tidy up time is around 8.30pm before she nods off.

Originally I was only going to have her for 10 days, but was asked to extend that for another couple of weeks, which I am more than happy to do. She is improving well each day and will return to the shelter for adoption once she is 100% healed.

I’ve loved fostering and look forward to doing so in the future. It has given me a feeling of well-being and happiness, to see these wonderful felines coming ahead and enjoying my company.

November 9, 2011

Topics: Happy Tails /Latest

Pepper’s perfect home with Emily

Pepper and Emily playing at the beach.

Recently we received a lovely email from Emily O’Brien about Pepper, her lovely dog. Pepper was adopted by Emily from Wellington SPCA as a puppy two years ago.

I adopted Pepper in October 2009 as a 3 month old puppy (Bee) and ever since she has been pretty much my constant companion. She has come with me from Wellington, to the South Island and now we’re up in Auckland. She has the most fantastic temperament and I think that the socialisation with other puppies and people she was given in her early days at the SPCA has gone along way to helping with that. We spend most of our free time training for agility, dabbling in obedience and soon hope to start Paws n Music (dog dancing) as she loves trick training. I was a horsey girl before Pepper came along but now I’m very much a “dog weirdo”, having adopted another puppy (from a pound up in Auckland), spending most free weekends away at agility competitions and ensuring that every purchase (from the car to the house we just brought) is perfect for the dogs. I will be forever grateful to Wellington SPCA for letting me take Pepper home and feel lucky every day. I remember waiting to find out if I was the one to get the puppy and being so nervous and worried someone else would get her – so thanks so so much for choosing me!

Emily O’Brien

Pepper takes time to relax on a sunny day.

Fetch! Pepper catches a ball at the beach

Pepper with a frisby

Pepper playing outside.

Pepper with yellow flowers.

Be sure to check out the puppies and dogs whom would love to find caring owners. Thank you for sharing your Happy Tail and fantastic photos with us Emily!

November 7, 2011

Topics: Appeals /Latest /Media

Annual Paws Appeal takes to the streets

Wellington SPCA’s Paws Appeal takes to the streets this Friday in Wellington and Porirua, and Saturday for Lower Hutt and Kapiti. Approximately 450 SPCA volunteers and staff will be raising money to help fund our lifesaving services. Collectors will be easy to spot on the main streets in the CBD with official bibs and some with their own dogs.

Wellington SPCA relies on support from the Wellington community. The centres help provide food, shelter, welfare inspectors, veterinary care, love and a chance to find a new home for over 5,000 unwanted, abused and neglected animals in the Wellington region each year.

Wellington SPCA receives no direct government funding so please dig deep this Friday/ Saturday when you see our collectors out on the street. It’s only with help from our community that precious lives can continue to be saved.

Paws Appeal

Friday 11 November in Wellington and Porirua

Saturday 12 November in Lower Hutt and Kapiti

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