Durban SPCA's Raises Over R170k on Homeless Animals Day

Photo Credit: Durban & Coast SPCA - Mandy Kunigan and Glenda Finegan

Animal lovers endured a night of discomfort in kennels, experiencing firsthand the challenges faced by hundreds of homeless furbabies.

Durban, South Africa (20 August 2024) – The 17th of August was International Homeless Animals Day and Durban & Coast SPCA hosted its 3^rd Annual Kennels sleepover at the Springfield Park branch. Why? To raise funds and awareness for the plight of homeless animals in Durban.

Durban & Coast SPCA manager Tanya Fleischer told The Good Things Guy that the event saw 14 guests spending the night in kennels and raised over R173,000 for the animals at the SPCA.

“They arrived on Saturday between 3-4pm to set up their kennels, visitors were allowed between 4-6pm and during this time we had them vote for the ‘best dressed’ kennel. They enjoyed watching our sleep over guests play a few fun games and were entertained by music from Underground Radio.”

After visiting hours sleepover attendees had dinner before they had to go into their kennels until Sunday morning.

Durban & Coast SPCA gets over 13,000 homeless animals every year, and sleepover guests got to experience what it was like to be a homeless animal for the night.

“The experienced the lonely sound of the dogs barking and howling, the pesky mosquitos bothering them, the confined space to stay in.”

Guests were also asked to write poems about spending the night in a kennel, just like the animals do. Two of the best by Brigid McCleary and Mandy Kunigan, who touched on the big difference between people who stay in kennels for fun and the animals who live there all the time as well as the loneliness and discomfort of being confined to a small cage-like shelter.

The guests’ selfless participation in the event not only raised vital funds but also fostered empathy and understanding for the creatures who rely on our compassion.