Trudy Arthur
Trudy, "Traudl", is an ideal member of VSPCA - not only is she passionate about animals and seeing an improvement of their welfare in SVG, but her dedication manifests into a volunteer extraordinaire. From carrying in neighbors' cats for vet visits to maintaining a "can do" attitude in the midst of challenges, Traudl is a wonderful model of a volunteer.
Here is what she has to say:
"Being raised on a farm in Germany, a life without an animal is unimaginable. I am a cat person, which does not mean I don’t care for dogs or any other animal. After I lost two very dear cat friends, one at the age of 17 and the other at 21, I decided not to have any more feline companions, for the pain of losing them is just too great. I then started volunteer work in a shelter in Fort Lauderdale. This was not exactly the place to be when you are grieving, and soon I realized there was no way I would walk out of this place without another animal. Although I lived in a “No Pet Condo," I smuggled in two lovely cats. Each of them had a very sad history and they basically chose me.
Here in St. Vincent, two stray cats found me and before I had the chance to trap them for spay/neuter, the third one was on his way, their son. They would wait at the back of the house every morning and evening but run away as fast as they could to hide in a bush when I approached them with food. Now, years later, all three of them are part of the family. What a joy to watch the transition from being strays to being part of the family.
I would like to see a different approach to animals here in St. Vincent. Many locals do not consider a dog or cat as a companion worthy of love and basic freedoms. This is one of the biggest challenges we face in our works. In my opinion, the priority has to go to:
1. Education, starting in schools, and outreach to the public about the importance of having their own dogs and cats spayed/neutered.
2. Continue with the s/n program which has been very successful in the past years.
3. Raise awareness for endangered and indigenous species, e.g. iguanas and turtles."
My motto is: We can do it !
