For the love of all sentient beings

Roodepoorters can not celebrate Women’s Month without celebrating our very own animal welfare and community activist Cora Bailey.

Cora has been a champion for the welfare of animals as well as people in Durban Deep and the surrounding communities for the past 16 years. She said she became involved by accident when she went into a township for the first time. “It was before the country became democratic. I and De Villiers Katyana – who has been with me from the start – went into the township where I discovered that due to the ravaging political violence people just fled and left their animals behind. Animals were chained up, suffered malnutrition and were neglected,” said Cora.

Now she spends seven days a week at the Community Led Animal Welfare (Claw) clinic in Durban Deep. Over and above the Durban Deep premises they have an outreach programme whereby a mobile animal clinic visits the surrounding communities such as Bram Fischerville, Matholesville, Snake Park and Soul City.

But Claw faces many challenges, said Cora. Due to the fact that there is an increase in residents bringing their animals to them, she could do with more staff and another surgeon. Currently she only has two veterinarians and three nurses. “The need in the community is huge. Children walk as far as 10km to bring their pets,” she said.

Because she is based in the middle of these communities she has also, by default, become involved in their socioeconomic situation. “We deliver food parcels to the ill and to grannies who care for orphaned children. We also assist rape victims, people whose shacks have burned down and we work closely with caregivers,” she said.

One of the things she finds most satisfactory about her calling is seeing so many children becoming better educated about their animals and bringing them to be sterilised. She also runs a Sunday programme where the children are taught on a variety of subjects ranging from xenophobia to sex education.

But there is a dark side.

“These children who live in abject poverty witness extreme violence. With the increase in dog fighting, the entire community is affected. The people involved are also involved in other crimes and bring that with them. Children who watch these fights are influenced negatively because the very people who should be their role models are teaching them the most horrible cruelty. It spirals out of control and there is a domino effect. Unfortunately our police are not making the connection between animal cruelty and violent crime,” said Cora. “The public can help by reporting cases of animal cruelty and anonymity is guaranteed. They can either report it to us or to the SPCA.”

Cora said the community can help by volunteering to help socialise the animals that need homes and assisting with the Sunday programme in whichever way they can. She also appeals to the public to adopt a pet rather than buying one.

“During Women’s Month we should not be celebrating celebrities. We should be celebrating the women who look after five orphans on a social grant; the women for whom everyday is a struggle for survival, yet they go on. They are the real unsung heroes,” concluded Cora.

For more information, to report animal cruelty or to volunteer, contact Cora on 076 850 4466.

Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at roodepoortrecord@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 955 1130.

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