Doc: 24689 Source: The Bay Chronicle

SPCA volunteers kicked in the guts:

The Kaitaia branch of the SPCA was in turmoil, and on the verge of insolvency,
Bay of Islands inspector and national council member Jim Boyd said last week,
thanks to the alleged actions of a former committee member.
Mr Boyd said the branch believed that around $18,000 had been
misappropriated. The matter had been reported to the police, and a Kaitaia man
had been charged with one count of using documents to gain a pecuniary
advantage. He was due to make a second appearance before the registrar at the
Kaitaia District Court on Thursday.
The allegation had come as a “kick in the guts” for those who had fought so long
and hard to keep the branch viable, he added. And they would continue to do so,
with his full and active support.
Mr Boyd had been appointed by the national council of the RNZSPCA to act as
branch administrator, under the delegated authority of the national CEO, and
while the branch was struggling to survive, he had no doubt that it would do so.
“There will always be an SPCA presence in Kaitaia. I can promise you that,” he
said.
“The troops are absolutely devastated, but I’m so proud of them,” he added.
“They are determined to carry on. They won’t be taking their bat and ball and
going home. We will trade our way out of this, and we’ll work through what needs
to be done to repair the damage and to ensure nothing like this happens again.
“We will sort out what has to happen to protect everyone who is involved with this
organisation, including the adoption of advanced accounting measures,” he said.
“The first priority will be to ensure their safety, from accusations and anything
else that’s negative. These people have to be protected. They are our backbone.
“I’m so sorry this has happened,” Mr Boyd added.
“These volunteers have worked their backsides off only for this to happen, but no
one is even close to giving up.”
The national council had intervened in an effort to save the branch from
collapsing, while other branches had responded generously, not least by
supplying a substantial quantity of cat and dog food to save Kaitaia the cost of
sustaining its four-legged guests at retail prices.
“We are hopeful that the reduced food bill and other measures we are putting in
place will make sufficient difference to keep the branch solvent,” he said.
“The important thing for the general public to understand right at this moment is
that there will always be an SPCA presence in the Kaitaia district, and I hope the
public will get behind a branch that has given faithful service to its community for
many years.”