The Sandton SPCA recently appealed in the media for community assistance to raise funds for a vehicle to assist with emergency calls and being able to get into the communities it serves. Within days, Cell C, thanks to its on-going Acts of Kindness campaign, together with Abela Business Leasing and Melrose Nissan had come to the SPCA’s assistance.

With access to only three vehicles and a vast area to cover (with some inaccessible roads), the organisation urgently required a one-ton bakkie. The need became even more urgent after the SPCA received a call about a dog being stoned by children but were too late to get to the scene because of a lack of transport.

Through a partnership with Abela Business Leasing and Melrose Nissan, Cell C will share the monthly rental of a NP200 Nissan. The monthly rental includes the annual cost of licensing and a full maintenance and tyre replacement plan up to 120 000 kilometres, for three years.

Says Jaco Pieterse, General Manager of the Sandton SPCA: “This will make a huge difference in the lives of the many animals and the members of the informal communities that we serve. As well as assisting animals we also need to educate the public about animal welfare. If the youth is educated, they end up building a better future for animals in the country. We thank Cell C, Abela Business Leasing and Melrose Nissan for their kindness and care.”

Says Suzette van der Merwe, Managing Executive Corporate Social Investment at Cell C: “We are confident that this donation will help the Sandton SPCA achieve their stated objectives of public awareness about animal welfare and to be able to tend to animals in areas where their help is most needed. We could not have done this without our partners Melrose Nissan and Abela Business Leasing.”

“We are happy to be a partner to such a worthy cause; prevention of cruelty to animals and educating the communities about animal care thus promoting kindness, respect and responsibility towards all animals,” says Melrose Nissan’s Fleet Sales Manager, Darryl Brook.

Ross Richards, Director for Abela Business Leasing says: “The Sandton SPCA fulfils a critical function of preventing cruelty and improper treatment of defenceless animals and they are able to provide animals in distress with a place of safety and a place where they are able to get the care they so require. We are extremely proud that together with Melrose Nissan and Cell C, through their Act of Kindness programme, we are able to assist them in this worthwhile role by making this vehicle available to them at no charge. We are grateful that we have been afforded this opportunity to support them in their mission.”

For more details the Sandton SPCA go to www.sandtonspca.org.za