"Most shelter pets have never experienced Christmas," says Marcelle du Plessis, fundraising and communications manager. "Christmas is usually a joyous day but my heart always breaks for the pets at our shelter facility who are spending it without a family."

"This year, we hope to make it a bit more special for them. Members of the public can sponsor a shelter pet to have a Christmas day experience. Our staff and volunteers will, in turn, make their day special," adds du Plessis.

There is a variety of sponsoring options including:
  • R100 — a good cuddle
  • R200 — a good cuddle and a treat
  • R300 — a good cuddle, treat and playtime
  • R500 — all the above and because you can and think our staff are awesome
Donors can choose their special pet by visiting www.mdzananda.co.za or the Mdzananda Animal Clinic Facebook page to view the pets up for adoption that are needing sponsorship.

"The dogs and cats up for adoption have been at our clinic's shelter facility for weeks or even months. Chippa, one of our dogs, has been with us for three months with no one interested in adopting her. Solar, an adult cat, has been in our foster care system for a year," concludes du Plessis.

If you would like to sponsor a pet to have a Charismas experience, you can make a donation to Mdzananda Animal Clinic:
  • Standard Bank
  • Account number: 075595710
  • Branch: Rondebosch
  • Branch Code: 025009
  • Reference: Your chosen pet's name and your name
Individuals are also encouraged to volunteer on Tuesday, 24 December between 8:00 to 16:00 to give the pets some love.

For more information, visit www.mdzananda.co.za or contact [email protected]. You can also follow the Mdzananda Animal Clinic on Facebook or on Twitter.