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MANGAWHAI'S NO.1 NEWSPAPER
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Shelter shows home where the heart is.jpg "pet shelter 2013(copy)") While most of us have had our heads buried under the quilts this winter, our local animal shelter has been on the move from the top of the Brynderwyns to its new home at Whakapirau.After 18 years, and nine months of each year, spent living in the clouds on ‘the mountain range’, Julie Harbin-McKay has finally found a new permanent home for herself and her band of elderly (and some not so elderly) furry companions. Julie has been in the business of rescuing and re-homing sick, injured and elderly animals for 31 years, her sojourn beginning in Australia in 1982 where she rescued creatures injured by bush fires. The Keira Animal Shelter was established in 1998. Last year the trust was able to purchase a plot of land to make a home for the increasing number of unwanted elderly animals. The move off ‘the mountain’ took around 17 months, after careful planning. Without funds for new buildings and fences, each pen had to be dismantled and transported over to the new site at Whakapirau. The first building to be moved over to the new home site was the green garage. “This is the heart of the shelter, where with a small team of volunteers, animal food is prepared, meetings are held, animals are cuddled, and laughter and tears are shared,” says Julie. “Wow, if those walls could talk!” It also housed the cattery, and a selection of dogs beds, where several elderly dogs slept at night, so temporary measures had to be made to keep these animals, safe and secure. Julie then made a temporary move to a small cabin, with intermittent power and phone, while her home was moved off the mountain to its new site. “The site not only lacked its heart, it lacked its backbone with my home missing too,” says Julie. “There were some very dark, frustrating days alone on the mountain leading up to winter.” So finally, Julie and her band of volunteers have made the final pilgrimage over to the new home site where she, and her animals, have a permanent safe haven. ■ Visit or call The Animal Shelter, 736 Whakapirau Road, 431 8300. Cat patters and dog walkers are always welcome. Suitable foster homes are always required. PUPPY LOVE: Julie, hiding at rear, pictured with furry friends and volunteers.
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