A night of South African contemporary art in one of Cape Town's most photogenic neighbourhoods is doubling as a lifeline for the city's stray animals. The African Tails Art Auction takes place at the Erik & Claude Foundation in Bo-Kaap on 17 September, from 6pm to 8pm, with every rand raised going to the welfare organisation's work with neglected dogs and cats.

The line-up of donated works is genuinely strong for a charity sale. Names on the roster include Wilma Cruise, Georgina Gratrix, Kilmany-Jo Liversage, Galia Gluckman, Warren Maroon, Vusumzi Nkomo and photographer Josie Borain, plus a contribution from Goodman Gallery, one of the country's best-known contemporary galleries. Art consultant Phillippa Duncan curated the selection.

This year's auction carries extra weight: it marks African Tails' 20th anniversary. Founded in Cape Town in 2006, the organisation has sterilised more than 18 000 dogs and cats, rehomed over 2 900 animals and provided food to upwards of 18 800 street and community animals. Its approach centres on mass sterilisation — the group points out that one unsterilised female dog and her offspring can produce as many as 67 000 puppies over six years — combined with feeding, treatment and pet-care education in under-resourced communities.

Co-founder and trustee Yael Sacks describes the evening as both the organisation's most important fundraiser and a celebration, and says it's designed to be social: attendees can meet the artists, talk about the pieces and enjoy a glass of wine while browsing. Tickets cost R100 and are available via African Tails' website and Instagram.

If you can't make it in person, there's a second route in. All works will also go under online bidding through BidPro, which stays open until 30 September. That makes the auction accessible to collectors and art lovers anywhere in the world — and for visitors to Cape Town, it's a chance to pick up a piece by an established South African artist while putting money straight into grassroots animal welfare.

For travellers, the event is a neat entry point into Cape Town's creative scene beyond the usual galleries and markets. Bo-Kaap, with its brightly painted terraced houses at the foot of Signal Hill, is worth a wander in its own right, and an evening auction here pairs culture with a good cause. If you're an animal lover visiting the city, it's also a reminder that local organisations like African Tails welcome support year-round, not just on auction night.