Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month
April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month. This, of course, is an issue we are concerned with year round but this month gives us a chance to reflect on the work that we do and how we are assisting in the fight against cruelty to animals.
ARO’s focus as an organisation is providing veterinary care to animals in need but chiefly we focus on sterilisation and education. We believe this is the best way to have long term impact on cruelty to animals as it is the overpopulation of domestic animals – most prevalent in indigent areas – and the lack of education on what it means to care for a pet that causes cruelty to occur so frequently in our country.
All too often, however, a special case comes through our doors. In this case, Brownie, a young cross breed who was brought in by his owner who had left him with a clearly unsuitable carer while she was away. Brownie was kept on a chain and as this pup grew, the rope got tighter until it eventually cut right through his skin. One can just imagine the constant pain this pup endured. Thankfully Brownie was brought to us in time to save his life. Dr Natasha Clark cleaned, stitched and dressed his wound and he is recovering nicely.
It is a testament to the nature of animals that Brownie is a sweet, loving dog. You would never know what he had suffered at the hands of humans. He needs about 2 weeks to recover but then will be ready to find his forever home.
Let us remember animals like Brownie this April for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month. Just by being a part of the ARO family you are doing your bit for the cause. If you would like to do something extra this coming month perhaps consider making a R450 donation to cover a sterilisation (use your full name + cruelty as reference – banking details below).
Account Name: Animal Rescue Organisation
Bank: ABSA Bank
Branch code: 632 005
Account number: 4086080569
SWIFT code: ABSAZAJJ
New Hospital Floors thanks to Old Mutual Staff Volunteer Fund Trust
We are so excited about a recent renovation to our hospital! Thanks to Old Mutual Staff Volunteer Fund Trust (OMSVFT), we were able to redo the floors of our indoor and outdoor kennels as well as part of the hospital floors. Although we are very happy with how fresh and new our flooring looks, this is not the most important part of this makeover. The new floor is made of screed, which is not only incredibly sturdy but offers us a surface that we can clean and sterilise properly. The flooring we had previously was tile and old cracked cement. This resulted in many little areas our F10 steriliser could not reach. This increases the risk of viruses like parvo spreading to animals in our hospital, which is an issue we were constantly concerned with. Now because of OMSVFT’s generosity in sponsoring this project we can rest easy knowing that this area of our clinic can be easily cleaned and will help stop the spread of communicable viruses.
Sponsor a kennel in our hospital
Kennel sponsorship is a great way of supporting ARO. A Kennel sponsorship is a monthly amount of R250 (or annual donation of R2750) donated on a debit order basis, to assist the running of a specific kennel.
Your contribution will go towards the feeding, caring and medical expenses of the animals that stay in your kennel. We will hang a personalised plaque on your sponsored kennel with a message of your choosing and send you a Kennel Sponsors Certificate.
You’ll also receive quarterly emails with updates of the animals that have stayed in your kennel and what kind of treatments they have received under our care.
With the kennel sponsors, we can budget more effectively than we can on once-off donations. You may stop your sponsorship whenever, for whatever reason – so, go ahead and become a sponsor and a lifelong friend to ARO and animals in need!
ARO Annual Golf Day 2021
Despite the gloomy weather and risk of drenched players, our Golf Day was a great success and enjoyed by the players and all who attended. The day started off with players rolling in to register and receiving a little goodie bag to keep up their energy out on the course. A highlight of their tee off was a welcome from the sweetest little fella named Jimmy, one of ARO’s very own dogs that was saved during the City of Cape Town’s sterilisation project.
From special deliveries from Butlers Pizza to all the players, delicious wine tasting from Tierhoek Wine and delectable Kaapse Liqueur gin, brandy and liqueur tasting, the day went from strength to strength. Players were able to enjoy their evening in the warmth of King David Mowbray Golf Clubs dining room chatting about their round before the formalities started.
We were overjoyed with the generosity from the players for supporting our Auction and Raffle. ARO extends a heartfelt THANK YOU to all the golfers including the support of Trevor Quirk, JP Duminy and Herschelle Gibbs, all the staff at King David Mowbray Golf Club, the sponsors, Jimmy and his mom Nicole, the volunteers and ARO board members for making ARO’s Golf Day a great success.
Until next time…
ARO robbed at gunpoint
Sadly, ringing in the New Year went belly up when we were held up by gunpoint by a group of men pretending to be prospective customers. After gaining access, the thugs rounded up all the staff while they cleared us out and damaged our property before getting away with our office and clinic computers, cell phones, personal belongings belonging to our staff and ripping out all the cabling to our switchboard and security cameras. The costs to recoup what has been taken or damaged is excessive for an animal welfare to replace. It is unthinkable that an organisation that dedicates all its efforts into helping sick and suffering animals in the poorest communities could be a target!
If you are in a position to assist ARO with upgrading our current security and replacing any of the equipment, please click here

ARO loses a beloved staff member RIP Sharon Adams
We are saddened to share the news that we lost a beloved colleague in December due to COVID19. Sharon Adams, who dedicated 26 years of service to ARO, was our financial administrator who managed the collection tins and will be remembered by many for her positivity and encouraging attitude. All the staff at ARO miss Sharon terribly and there hasn’t been a day that we have not thought of her and her family.
Rest well Sharon, you will remain in our hearts forever.
ARO joins City of Cape Town Mass Sterilisation Campaign
ARO has joined forces with other welfare organisations in the City of Cape’s mass sterilisation campaign. We are aiming to sterilise at least 250 animals from Mitchell’s Plain before the end of February 2021. Our Mobile Clinic is being used to collect and deliver animals for this city funded project.
This will reduce the amount of unwanted animals that are subjected to suffering and neglect as a result. Sterilisation is of paramount importance to managing pet populations and ending the cycle of animal abuse and cruelty.
Other benefits of sterilisation include:
- Sterilised animals are healthier; they have reduced instances of cancers and infections of the genital tract and breast cancer).
- They are less likely to roam resulting in a lower accident rate.
- They are less likely to show sex-related behavioural issues, i.e. aggression, dominant behaviour, fighting and even spray-marking of territory
- Fewer euthanasia’s
- Reduced pressure on animal welfare services
Second Chances
Covid has had devastating effects on everyone and our team have been faced with the harsh reality of how badly the poorest of communities have been hit. Animals are starving, sick and badly neglected but ARO is doing everything we can to give those animals a SECOND CHANCE. We are treating the sick, feeding the hungry and showing compassion to those animals, even if it is in their final hours.
ARO has launched the SECOND CHANCES campaign to help more animals, with the help of our donors. Many donors jumped on board to show their support and in return, were gifted with a super trendy ARO branded buff with a matching dog bandana for their beloved pets. Acana generously sponsored a bag dog food to each donor.