Our Letter of the Month winner is a self-described ‘island girl’ as well as being ‘passionate about animals and really wanting to help people understand more about animals’.
For Vivien Counsell Mitchell, animal welfare and awareness is something she feels that needs to be thought about more closely than just raising the awareness.
“I’ve retired several times,” she laughed.
“I had a surf shop in Sigatoka for a while and a few others. But my main interest is with the SPCA because I love animal welfare and want to teach and educate people about animals.
“I’d like people to get to know their pets better and to appreciate them more.
“Dogs and cats don’t ask anything more apart from a little bit of food. If you give them love and affection, they’ll be happy and they give you so much back.”
Mrs Mitchell, originally from Bermuda, moved here in 1996, found love, did a bit of business mainly in tourism along the coastline of the Western Division, and also has a background in health education.
Her letter titled ‘Sugar Dilemma’ raises an interesting argument and paradox between our reliance on the sugar industry, and a campaign on reducing our consumption to help prevent non-communicable diseases.
Though short, yet precise, it gives the reader food for thought and something to debate about.
Once a week, she travels from Waidroka along Serua to Suva to get supplies. She and husband, Ian, live with their five rescue dogs.
So it will not come as a surprise that she is the trustee of Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals (SPCA).
Lately, Mrs Mitchell has been prepping for interesting projects for the society to get people more involved with their animals.
She has travelled extensively in the US, Canada, Europe and more.
Her move to Fiji was somewhat inspired from reading a book written by an Englishman in the colonial days who was assigned to work in the then Gilbert & Ellice Islands (now Kiribati and Tuvalu respectively).
“Each chapter had an interesting drawing (of island life). And to an 11-year-old child this was fascinating and I thought one day I’m going to go to the South Pacific.”
And she did just that. Ranoba Baoa
Feedback: ranobab@fijisun.com.fj