On 21 April 2023, the Cape of Good Hope SPCA received a brief and to-the-point email from nine-year-old Gemma Newton. ‘We allowed to come for visits?’ she simply inquired. The CoGH SPCA responded with an invitation, but after some more email back and forths, it soon became clear that they were speaking with a child.
They resumed the conversation with Gemma’s mother, Carmelita, who explained that Gemma frequently visits the SPCA’s website and has pictures from the site displayed in her room.
Gemma’s great love for animals and her fascination with the organisation’s rescue work was made clear when Carmelita said, ‘It would be a dream come true for her to visit the SPCA’.
Also read: Team SPCA raised R160 000 for the fight against animal cruelty
Gemma visited the Cape of Good Hope SPCA on 26 April 2023, accompanied by her mother and siblings. She demonstrated a heart full of compassion and a passion for animals that belied her age at only nine years old.
According to an organisation report, Gemma’s enthusiasm for the SPCA was palpable as she toured its facilities.
She met ‘Animal Cop’ (Inspector) Rudolph Philander, was shown how to properly feed a carrot to a horse and even witnessed a pet being sterilised.
According to the organisation, the Newton family’s visit reminded the team to never stop dreaming of a world free of animal cruelty.
The Cape of Good Hope SPCA expressed its gratitude to Gemma in the following statement:
‘Thank you, Gemma. We have renewed hope because Gemma showed kindness and compassion in what we experience daily as a very unkind world for animals. We have renewed hope because we have no doubt that Gemma will carry the torch of compassion for the next generation of animal welfarists, and she’ll pass it on to the generations to come. Our burden is lighter, and the future of animal welfare is brighter because a child named Gemma came to see us!’
Also read:
City firefighters raise nearly R30 000 for Volunteer Wildfire Services
Picture: Cape of Good Hope SPCA