I love Martin Luther King Junior’s saying, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

I know I’m everything but silent about things that matter. This is probably a given, considering I’m a journalist and so form part of the press, who are the watchdogs of society, but I feel proud about not keeping quiet about things that matter.

We always hear people around us complain – about bad service, poor service delivery by government departments, the state our town is in, abuse at nursery schools and so the list goes on and on and on.

My question is – what are you doing about those things that bug you? Are you complaining to your friend and mom and everyone who does nothing but agree with you? Are you one of those people who "just leave it for the people who are supposed to fix it?" Are you living or just existing?

Or are you a member of an organisation that addresses certain issues? Do you make donations to CANSA, to the old age homes or the SPCA? Do you take up problems with someone on as high a level as you can possibly reach so the problem can be solved? Do you report crime and abuse?

There’s an article in our paper this week about a puppy that was tied up in a bathroom with a piece of string around the foot and just left to die in Greenspark.

I can’t begin to describe the anger and bitterness that boils inside me as I look at the photo of this poor, innocent animal. I will not be able to publish the words I would like to use in describing the kind of person (or thing) that does this to an animal.

Animals are a big issue and their wellbeing does matter. It is one of those things that matter and that you cannot just keep quiet about.

I am, therefore, challenging all the big businesses, businessmen and women and mines who always have funds available for various projects, to start considering our animals. The SPCA can SO do with anything extra.

I have heard the theories about people donating money to the SPCA but never seeing it put to use. Well unless you go there and see to it that the animals are excreting the food bought with that money, how will you know whether it was used?

The SPCA’s one single worker, Joseph, cannot possibly cover Westonarea, Greenspark, Kokosi, Fochville, Carletonville, Deelkraal, Welverdiend, Western Deeps, Driefontein, Elandsrand, Khutsong and Carletonville without some assistance.

If millions can be stuffed into various projects, the SPCA could surely be given a small second-hand vehicle and some petrol money to get through every month? Someone could volunteer?

I have now spoken about something that really, REALLY matters, and hope that everyone who calls him/herself an animal-lover, will start doing something (no matter how small) to better the state of our animals.

Call the SPCA at 018 788 6262 to report animal abuse or stray animals. Or is your life beginning to end?