13 hours ago
Mobile outreach brings animal welfare, education to vulnerable communities
Pretoria east-based non-profit organisation Pet Community Outreach is changing lives across the metro by offering much-needed care to animals and education to their owners.
The organisation is currently preparing for Mandela Day with plans to launch a brick-making initiative to build a cat café that will also benefit the local community.
Founded in 2019 by Lori Erasmus, it operates both as a clinic in Pretoria east and a mobile service that travels to areas such as Laudium, Atteridgeville and Hammanskraal.
'So we are actually a mobile service, as well as having a clinic where we do operations,' said Erasmus.
'Wherever people need us, we go.'
The idea for the organisation came from a gap Erasmus saw in veterinary care for poor communities.
'If you look at humans, those who can't afford private doctors go to public clinics. However, for animals, there's no such thing as a community hospital.'
The organisation runs on donations and only asks for what people can afford to give.
'We are not funded. I have to phone people myself and ask for help, whether it's one bag of pet food, some syringes or a donation for sterilisation.'
Their work extends beyond clinics and includes animal education at schools.
The team has visited schools in Pretoria east and Hammanskraal to teach children about animal cruelty, responsible pet care, vaccination, and disease prevention.
They also engage the children in creative hands-on activities like making bird feeders out of toilet roll tubes and crafting blankets that are donated back to the shelter.
Pet Community Outreach also runs a shelter where they care for over 200 cats rescued from abuse, neglect or abandonment.
Erasmus said they try to focus on the positive side of animal welfare and what can be done to improve conditions, instead of dwelling on the cruelty they often witness.
In the meantime, they are appealing to the public for help, especially in the form of top-loader washing machines, pet food, blankets, and basic veterinary supplies.
'We're doing the best we can with what we have,' said Erasmus.
'Even the smallest donation helps us make a big difference.'
Their impact has also reached people outside of animal care.
Catherine Keyworth, who runs the Arcadia City Improvement District, shared how Pet Community Outreach stepped in when they needed them.
Keyworth said they assisted them when they found a family living with 27 cats and two dogs in dire conditions.
'I contacted 14 organisations. Lori was the only one who responded,' she said.
'Her team treated, sterilised, and rehomed the animals. They even returned twice to help catch the remaining ones. It made a massive difference.'
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