The Albury RSPCA volunteer branch has already suspended its desexing program owing to staff shortages and says other activities remain at risk of ending.

These include the foster care program, Pets Of Older Persons and keeping the Hume Street information centre open. 

The Albury Million Paws Walk, an annual event for at least 18 years, did not take place last month because there were not enough volunteers available.

Kate Fiedler, the foster care and information centre co-ordinator, said the few present helpers were trying to work out ways to save Albury RSPCA.

“I suppose one of the options is we just disband as a branch but try and keep some of the programs going,” she said. 

“That would be, the way I see it anyway, the best case scenario if we can’t still be a branch, but obviously we don’t want to do that.

“We’re in definite crunch crisis mode and I guess we’re just hoping the community can help us.”

Incorporated in September 1967, Albury RSPCA originally operated from the South Albury home of founding members Bill and Nona Wilkinson.

The Wilkinsons negotiated the use of council land and led the development of the present centre, which is owned by Albury Council.

Branch treasurer Alison Parry believed Albury RSPCA now faced one of its most difficult times.

“I don’t think we’ve ever gotten down to the point where we risk losing the branch because we just don’t have people on committee,” she said. 

“We just don’t have the numbers to do anything, really.

“We want to expand these programs and we can’t.”

Secretary Amy Norris said the demands were proving too much for the small group of volunteers, many of whom worked full-time.

“This is our last hurrah trying to get people,” she said.

The committee intended to split roles to reduce individual workloads, hoping this might attract people.

Miss Fiedler said after the Million Paws Walk cancellation drew attention to their struggles, the branch received only two calls from prospective volunteers, who wanted just to help at events.

“Which is fine, but because we don’t have many volunteers generally, we can’t necessarily do events, so it’s frustrating,” she said.

“We get people calling up cross because we’ve cancelled it, but they won’t necessarily step up and go ‘Can I help?’. 

“I keep hearing on Facebook that people want these programs, but we actually need them to help us now.”

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