Alexandra animal sanctuary faces closure

07 December 2012 - 17:20 By Times LIVE
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A dog.
A dog.
Image: Gallo Images/Thinkstock

After 12 years in operation, the forced closure of Kitty and Puppy Haven in Alexandra could see all the animal under their care being euthanised at the end of January 2013.

The sanctuary has been applying for the past six years to have the property re-zoned as it is currently run from a residential property, but after a recent hearing, Kitty and Puppy Haven has been ordered to remove the animals from the property before the end of January 2013, and shut down operations by 15 February.

The impact of this ruling affects far more than the animals at the sanctuary. All Alex residents who make use of the community clinic will no longer have access to the services of the Kitty and Puppy Haven vet.

Furthermore, Kitty and Puppy Haven will be unable to continue running whilst making alternative arrangements, which means that the thousands of animals which are dumped or abandoned during this festive season, will no longer be able to come to the sanctuary and will probably end up dead.

Over the past 12 years approximately 11 000 animals have been helped by Kitty and Puppy Haven, with numbers growing steadily every year. If alternative arrangements cannot be made, not only will thousands of animals suffer, but 16 staff members will be homeless and unemployed.

The public can assist by contacting the sanctuary to adopt the over 200 hundred animals under the care of the home, as well as offer financial assistance, more than R2 million is needed buy a different property for the sanctuary.

For more information, visit the sanctuary website http://www.kittypuppyhaven.org.za/ or call (011) 440 2404/9486, (011) 786 1732.

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