Swimming for pets

World-record swimmer Howard Warrington is looking forward to conquering False Bay's freezing shark-infested waters to help the Cape of Good Hope Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) with their sterilisation campaigns.

- KEANAN HARMSE

The athlete will tackle the 14-hour False Bay challenge, which is a 34 km crossing, on Thursday 20 and Wednesday 26 November, depending on weather conditions. The swim will help the SPCA in Grassy Park reach a 10 000-sterilisation goal

The Cape of Good Hope SPCA is the founding society of the SPCA movement in South Africa, the oldest animal-welfare organisation in the country.

Warrington, from Somerset West, holds a Guinness world record and has completed more than 200 Robben Island crossings.

"My wife Elmarie and friend Charl are my skippers, and our border collie, Lily, joins us on our boat as a shark spotter. Every swim tests my limits, but it's nothing compared to the struggles faced by animals every day. This is my way of helping them. I hope to raise as much money as possible."