Every time SPCA inspector Melissa Rush opens her laptop, the happy face of Hennessey – an elderly dog she saved from the brink of death – stares back at her and she’s reminded why after 10 years, it’s still her dream job.
“She was the skinniest dog I’ve ever seen – probably just a few more days and she would have died,” recalls Melissa, explaining 13-year-old Hennessey went on to make a full recovery, was adopted into a loving home and lived to the impressive age of 19.
“She went from the worst life you could possibly imagine to the best life and one she deserved.”
Talking to the Weekly ahead of the SPCA’s Treat Week charity drive this June 12-18, Melissa shares the highs and lows of her important job in the hope it will help raise much-needed funds.
Mel and Hennessey on the day of her adoption in 2014.
Treat Week encourages Kiwis to get busy in the kitchen and host bake sales and morning teas, then donate the proceeds to the SPCA.
“We deal with 30,000 animals a year through the centres and that is matched with the number of animals we help in the community, so those donations are incredibly vital,” explains Melissa, 33.
Her job involves responding to cruelty and neglect calls, educating the public and assisting with animal welfare prosecution cases.
“I’ve been involved in everything from cats and dogs to livestock animals, hoarders and rescues,” she tells. “I also did the first prosecution in New Zealand against someone running a dog daycare where a dog died under their watch.
“It’s definitely not an easy job or one for the faint- hearted. But being able to make a change to animals’ lives, whether it’s removing them from a bad situation or educating an owner and seeing a change in how they care for their animals, pushes me to keep going.”
On the harder days, she takes comfort at home, supported by fiancé Dave and cuddling up with her three rescue cats. Melissa also credits her mother Anne for instilling her with an unwavering work ethic.
“She’s my biggest inspiration,” she says. “Since I was 10, she’s been a single mum of three. She worked part-time and studied, as well as raising us. Seeing how hard she worked towards her dream of being a teacher inspired me to work really hard on my goal of becoming an inspector.
“She’s my biggest cheerleader and super-proud of the work I do. She teaches new-entrant kids and I love doing school visits there. If you can teach kids young, it gets passed on and is a huge part of breaking the cycle of animal cruelty.”
Looking forward, Melissa has plenty of goals to improving animal welfare in Aotearoa.
“I really love this job. I want to keep going until I physically can’t any more.”
Sign up for Treat Week at treatweek.spca.nz
