Nine-month-old Jenga may not be much help in the kitchen, but she is a pretty good advertisement for buying a cupcake today.
With her “jellybean” tail, friendly nature and big personality, the pup is one of hundreds of animals to come through the SPCA Nelson Centre every year.
She’s also one of the reasons why today’s Cupcake Day fundraiser is so important.
Held around the country, Cupcake Day encourages people to bake, sell and buy cupcakes to raise money for SPCA’s work caring for sick, injured and vulnerable animals.
In Nelson, locals can get behind the cause by picking up a sweet treat from the Cupcake Day stall at Westpac on Bridge St from 10am to 1pm today (Wednesday).
SPCA animal attendant Ellie Parkin-Brown says that Jenga and her littermates were all named after board games.
“She’s a sweet girl, very independent. She’s definitely got a massive personality… a little bit of a sass queen. She’s just a clown, really, and loves the world.”
The Nelson Centre has cared for 628 animals in the past year, including cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs and birds, as well as turtles, goats and sheep.
“We basically care for anything that counts as a domestic animal,” Ellie explains.
As well as rehabilitating and rehoming animals, the centre responds to injured animals, with wildlife handed over to the Department of Conservation where appropriate.
With very little Government funding, Ellie says the charity heavily depends on fundraising, donations and volunteers.
“The running of the centre and looking after the animals when they come in… all of that we have to raise money for.”
She says that makes fundraisers such as Cupcake Day “huge”.
“We literally couldn’t function without the donations that we get, and also our volunteers as well. We exist because we have volunteers that are willing to bake the cupcakes, be out there manning the stalls, and the generous donations from the community.”
Stefano’s has also got behind the fundraiser, providing kitchen space for volunteers to prepare the cupcakes for today’s stall.
Ellie says the money raised helps with everything from the everyday costs of caring for animals to veterinary treatment.
Awhi, an older stray cat found in Atawhai recently, is one example.
Estimated to be about 10 years old, the fluffy white feline arrived at the centre with a string of health problems and needed urgent dental work.
“He had lots of health issues. We just discovered more and more,” Ellie says.
“He had an eyelid that was curled into his eye, so he had to have what’s called entropion eye surgery.”
It was then discovered that he had hyperthyroidism.
“We gave him the eye surgery and the dental work at the same time, and he is now being managed for his hyperthyroidism through diet.”
The treatment came with a big veterinary bill, but Awhi’s story had a happy ending as he was adopted by the people who had originally found him and taken him in.
Ellie says the centre’s vet bill runs into the tens of thousands of dollars every month.
“It’s very expensive to look after all the animals that we do.”
Fundraising also helps cover flea and worm treatments, vaccinations, desexing and microchipping, along with enrichment and the day-to-day care animals need while at the centre.
“We get a fair few strays that come in a bit worse for wear. We look after them and get them back to health because that’s what we’re here for,” Ellie says.
“We’re here for the sick, injured, and the vulnerable.”
