Water also a worry for SPCA

GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - Graaff-Reinet residents aren't the only ones with water woes, as the local SPCA struggles with water supply for the animals in their care and surrounding areas.

According to Graaff-Reinet SPCA Inspector Hillary Chaplin, the organisation currently looks after 25 dogs and 18 cats, of which six are permanent residents. All these animals, besides the resident cats, are still up for adoption. During the holiday, they also took care of an additional 10 boarding animals.

Chaplin told the Advertiser that each animal gets a bowl of water (about five litres on average, depending on the animal's size), which is replaced every third day or as soon as it is empty.

"Each dog kennel is sprayed out every day with a hose pipe or washed using a bucket," she said, explaining that the amount of water used depends on how dirty the kennels are.

Although the kennels have enough water, for now, Chaplin said their worry is Kroonvale, Umasizakhe and Vryegrond; areas that are often without water, and animals' bowls are dry.

"We have received about 400 litres of donated water from Port Elizabeth and Cape Town, and have started deliveries to these areas for the animals." These animals include pigs, goats and horses, and the SPCA pours the water directly into their drinking bowls.