Animal fire sale

By Bridget Brady
A factory in Narre Warren is full to the brim with donations of all kinds after Nigel and Sharon Williamson from Nigel’s Animal Rescue in Devon Meadows and Barrie Tapp from Animal Cruelty Hotline put the call out for donations of animal feed following the bushfires in February.
They were inundated with donations from around the country, and the generosity was not just pet-related. The donations also included shoes, books, prams, toys and clothes for men, women and children.
To clear the goods, a sale will be held on Saturday and Sunday at 12 Vesper Drive in Narre Warren, where the donations have been stored.
“The support has been overwhelming. It exceeded our wildest dreams,” Mr Williamson said.
A b-double truck from Dubbo full of donations was one of the biggest loads of goods received. “We have about 5000 items of clothes and about 600 pairs of shoes and some of these items are brand new.
“We thought a sale was the only solution. We thought why not turn it into cash.”
The items will be sold “extremely cheaply”.
“The prices will be very negotiable and whatever people are prepared to pay.”
The money donated from the garage sale will go towards Mr Williamson’s recently established charity, Australian Animal Rescue.
Mr Tapp helped deliver the animal feed to areas such as Labertouche, Morwell and Mirboo North. He said there was still a need for hay.
“We are short at the moment. Anything we can get would be great,” Mr Tapp said.
The Narre Warren Rotary Club will cook a sausage sizzle at the sale during the weekend.
The sale will be at 12 Vesper Drive, Narre Warren, from 10am to 4pm on 16 and 17 May.
For information or to donate hay call the Animal Cruelty Hotline on 1800 751 770 or Nigel’s Animal Rescue on 0427 533 083.