Entries by Bronwyn Hayes

Pet Home Alone

February 26, 2025 in , , , , , , , , /by

Pet Home Alone If you have kids heading back to school, be sure to pause somewhere in between choreographing school pickups and drop-offs and stocking up on school supplies to consider how this new schedule will affect your pets. After an entire summer of basking in your kids’ presence and enjoying extended family time, suddenly leaving your dog home alone is bound to upset them, and they’re not the only one. Leaving a cat alone can also result in anxiety and depression. Read on for tips on helping your pets cope with the new school year. Separation Anxiety Dogs are […]

Global Veterinary Community Rallies for Wildfire Relief

February 25, 2025 in , , /by

Global Veterinary Community Rallies for Wildfire Relief NAVC to Match Donations Up to $25,000 The North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) today announced the launch of a global veterinary industry fundraising drive that will bring together thousands of veterinary professionals from all over the world to donate to the Pasadena Humane Wildfire Relief Fund to help animals impacted by the Southern California wildfires. The campaign will take place during the annual Veterinary Meeting & Expo (VMX) Jan. 25-29, presented by the NAVC at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. The NAVC will match donations, up to $25,000, and 100% of […]

What a sneeze – Is it really in Reverse?

February 24, 2025 in , , , , , , /by

What a sneeze – Is it really in Reverse? We have all experienced that horrid reverse sneeze that just won’t stop, but have you ever wondered what causes it? Mechanosensitive aspiration reflex or inspiratory paroxysm is a sudden and repetitive inhalation through the nose. This often goes hand in hand with a high-pitched unnatural sound, which is why it is commonly known as reverse sneezing, and a slight discharge from the nose. But what causes it?  Well, we don’t really know, but there are factors that could play a roll. Their Anatomy – your dog’s flat face and narrow nasal […]

Your Animals Deserve Better

February 23, 2025 in , , , , , , , /by

Your Animals Deserve Better YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ANIMALS YOU FORCE TO LIVE IN YOUR WORLD. Even though most people are having a festive time, the animal welfare industry faces its worst time of year!  This happens due to the failure of the animal guardians (owners). If everyone took better care of the animals they choose to take in, then animal welfare would not have to clean up the mess year in and year out! Do your animals deserve a better guardian? If your animals are in the streets, they deserve a better guardian. Animals left to roam without protection […]

True sanctuaries

February 22, 2025 in , , , /by

True sanctuaries A group of big cat sanctuaries in South Africa who have united to pave the way for ethical big cat tourism. The focus is animal welfare, education and cooperation. The sanctuaries are opposed to any hands-on interaction, breeding and trading of big cats. There are currently four members in the group, and the aim is to continuously increase this number as more and more current facilities upgrade their standards and new true sanctuaries are created. The group works towards educating the public and creating awareness about the current situation where most facilities call themselves ‘sanctuaries’ while they exploit […]

10 Easy Things You Can Do To Make Your Dog Happier

February 21, 2025 in , , , , , , , , /by

10 Easy Things You Can Do To Make Your Dog Happier We always want to make sure our dogs are as happy and healthy as they could be, but we sometimes get stuck thinking we’re doing everything we can do. There are always new ways to spice up your dog’s life and some owners might not even be covering the basics. Here you’ll find 10 easy ways to make your dog happier. #1 – Rotate Toys Some people only have one or two toys out at a time, while others have every toy the dog has lying around the house. […]

Another Victim of Social Media Entertainment

February 20, 2025 in , , , , /by

Another Victim of Social Media Entertainment An investigation has been launched to locate the individual responsible for yet another act of animal cruelty all in the name of entertainment – the victim being a Nile crocodile. On 18 January 2025, several disturbing videos emerged, showing a man teasing and injuring a wild Nile crocodile. In the videos, the man is seen beating and kicking the animal on the snout. Later, he uses a slasher  to slash at the crocodile, striking it multiple times in the mouth. At the same time, several others are seen stoning the injured and defenceless animal. […]

Come on, it’s not that hard, people!

February 19, 2025 in , , , , , , /by

Come on, it’s not that hard, people! THERE ARE NO GOOD EXCUSES FOR NOT KEEPING YOUR PETS SAFE IN YOUR YARD! Every day, many lost dogs, or cat post goes up, even birds. Another frantic social media post circulates. Another animal ends up on the streets, vulnerable to traffic, predators, or worse. They may also become a nuisance to others, especially cats. Why? Because someone, somewhere, didn’t take the responsibility of pet ownership seriously enough to keep their animal safe. It is silly that I have to but I will add yes, there are some exceptions when animals get out, […]

#BeMyValentine – Homeless pets offering love

February 8, 2025 in , , , , , , /by

#BeMyValentine – Homeless pets offering love It’s the month of love and the Mdzananda Animal Clinic in Khayelitsha is encouraging members of the public to show some love to homeless pets in need. Their #BeMyValentine campaign features dogs up for adoption looking for sponsorship to make their Valentine’s Day a happy one.  “Valentine’s Day has become an extremely commercialised event with people spending large amounts of money on gifts, chocolates and flowers. This year we are encouraging people to allow a homeless pet to be their Valentine by sponsoring them and showing them some love,” says Marcelle du Plessis, Fundraising […]

Cruel Roadside Dogfight Disrupted by Rapid Reactions of NSPCA Inspectors

February 18, 2025 in , , , , /by

Cruel Roadside Dogfight Disrupted by Rapid Reactions of NSPCA Inspectors A group of teenage suspects are being tracked by the National Council of SPCA’s Special Projects Unit (SPU), after an informal dogfight was disrupted and one severely injured pitbull-type dog saved from the endless cycle of violence and suffering. On 13 January 2025, three Inspectors from the NSPCA’s Special Projects Unit (SPU) were travelling on the N12 in Johannesburg South, when they noticed a commotion on the side of the highway. Little did they know their instinct to investigate would lead to the heartbreaking discovery of a roadside dogfight. The […]