"Animals’ Home Should Go”

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31188, 12 October 1966, Page 18

"Animals’ Home Should Go”

The Canterbury Society for the Protection of Animals should get rid of its animals’ home at Sockburn, said a council member, Mr E. L. May, at the annual meeting last evening.

He said that the community regarded the home as a “dumping ground” for animals.

“The manager will tell you we have had sackfuls of cats brought out there for disposal,” he said. Mr May said that the home had degenerated into a cat haven at the expense of other animals. He recommended that the home be replaced by a clinic in a more central position.

The president (Mr J. Quickenden) said that the society could not go on spending money without any sense of having achieved something. Mr Quickenden said that if the society kept the home at Sockburn then it should lease some of the land as there was far too much. It meant that a man had to attend to the land for some of the time instead of carrying out his primary responsibility of caring for animals.

Next year was vital for the society, said Mr May. The sooner the society solved the cat problem the better it would be. There were many difficulties ahead. All members and the incoming council should avoid clashes of personalities and provide something constructive in the work of protecting animals.

Mr Quickenden said that the incoming council needed to overhaul the society’s activities. “Of late we seem to have been at sixes and sevens.

What we need is a policy and a better image with the public.” To mark the services of Mr C. W. Oliver to the society over the last 30 years the meeting appointed him a life member. A recommendation will be made to the incoming council that members be permitted to attend council meetings. The following officers were elected:—President, Mr J. Quickenden: vice-presidents. Mr G. P. Purnell and all veterinarians in Christchurch (subject to their approval): secretary, Mr J. L. Paulden: council, Mesdames E. Anderson, T. Kennard, D. G. McGill, T. Forrest and E. Brazil and Messrs R. C. Cotter, E. L. May and L. N. M. Morine.