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Celebrating the Unbreakable Bond: Dogs as Companions and Our Responsibility

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Celebrating the Unbreakable Bond: Dogs as Companions and Our Responsibility

FOUR PAWS South Africa marks International Dog Day with a call for compassion, commitment, and responsible pet ownership.

As the world prepares to honour our four-legged friends on International Dog Day this 26 August, FOUR PAWS South Africa is spotlighting the deep companionship dogs offer—and the importance of being responsible guardians in return.

Whether curled up at our feet or standing loyally by our side, dogs bring joy, comfort, and unconditional love into our lives. But this special relationship comes with responsibility. This International Dog Day, FOUR PAWS is urging South Africans to not only celebrate their dogs, but to reaffirm their role in providing safe, loving, and cruelty-free homes to the animals they care for.

“Dogs aren’t just animals we share our homes with—they’re family,” says Fiona Miles, Director at FOUR PAWS South Africa. “In South Africa, dogs play vital roles in communities as companions, helpers, and guardians. Responsible pet ownership means ensuring these animals are protected, healthy, and treated with the dignity they deserve.”

Through its community outreach projects, FOUR PAWS South Africa has witnessed firsthand the impact of irresponsible pet ownership—ranging from overpopulation and untreated disease, to neglect and abandonment. As part of its work, the organisation provides free sterilisation, vaccinations, and education programmes across rural and underserved communities to promote long-term change.

What Responsible Pet Ownership Means:

  • Providing clean water, proper food, shelter, and veterinary care.
  • Spaying or neutering your pets to prevent overpopulation and suffering.
  • Ensuring pets are kept safe, not left to roam or chained for extended periods.
  • Understanding the emotional needs of your dog—companionship, love, and mental stimulation.
  • Committing to your dog’s wellbeing for their entire life.

Beyond physical care, dogs need mental enrichment, companionship, and protection from harmful environments. Abandonment, abuse, and backyard breeding remain serious challenges in South Africa, but they can be prevented through education and community-led solutions. “This day is a celebration—but also a reminder,” says Miles. “A reminder that when we take a dog into our homes, we make a promise: to love, protect, and care for them responsibly. Let’s make sure we live up to that promise.”

FIVE Ways to Celebrate International Dog Day Responsibly:

  1. Adopt, don’t shop – Choose to give a rescue dog a loving home.
  2. Vaccinate and sterilise your pets to prevent unnecessary suffering.
  3. Volunteer at a local animal shelter or support a mobile outreach clinic.
  4. Speak out against animal cruelty and report neglect or abuse.
  5. Celebrate your dog’s life – share your story using #InternationalDogDay and tag @FOURPAWSSA.

For more information, visit our website www.four-paws.org.za 

Source: Four Paws

How Aging Makeshift Vessels Transport Farm Animals Out of the EU

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How Aging Makeshift Vessels Transport Farm Animals Out of the EU

Global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS on transport vessel Express M stuck en route to Haifa

What happens if an aging makeshift vessel carrying animals gets stuck at sea? Lack of food, risks of dehydration, even a possible heat stroke – the list of dangers for animals is alarming. This horrible scenario recently involved the Express M, a transport vessel carrying farm animals that departed from Midia, Romania on 22 February en route to Haifa Israel. Due to technical issues, their journey took 15 days – tripling the expected journey of five days. For global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS, these cases of unplanned prolongations of transport journeys raise serious concerns about the wellbeing of animals born and raised in the EU and transported in inappropriate vessels to third countries.

“When a vessel doubles or even triples its journey time unexpectedly, it raises serious animal welfare concerns – do the animals have enough water and food? How are they dealing with the often already hot temperatures inside? How are ships prepared to take care of animals during unexpected delays? The transport vessel Express M incident raises important but hardly discussed questions. It also puts a spotlight on the severe gaps in EU legislation that – in theory – should protect the wellbeing of animals transported via sea. These gaps are not just ‘legal flaws’ but may ultimately be responsible for the deaths of innocent animals every year,”

Corinna Reinisch, Programme Lead Farm Animal Welfare at FOUR PAWS

Many transport vessels carrying animals within and out of the EU are old and derelict makeshift transporters – averaging at almost 43 years – which were initially not designed for animal transports. According to the Animal Welfare Foundation, more than 35% of EU approved livestock carriers have had technical issues or incidents while being in service, including engine failures, fires or oil spills. The Express M has been in service for over 40 years. Just three months prior to this incident, the vessel was detained in Portugal for 25 reported deficiencies. “Given its aging condition, Express M should have never been given the authorisation to leave the shores of Romania. There is no shortcut to improve these transport conditions but to ban sea transports completely,” adds Reinisch.

Israel Against Live Shipments (FFA) witnessed and documented the unsanitary transport conditions of the animals when Express M arrived in Haifa.

The European Parliament and the Council of the EU are currently working on amending the European Commission proposal on the protection of animals during transport. FOUR PAWS urges them to strengthen its legislation around animal transports and calls for:

  • Ban on live animal transports to third countries
  • Ban on live animal transports by sea
  • Ban on transport of unweaned animals
  • No animal transports in temperatures below 5°C or above 25°C
  • Restrict maximum transport duration to eight hours (four hours for poultry and rabbits)
  • Slaughter of animals at the nearest suitable slaughterhouse
  • Transport of meat and carcasses instead of live animals

Source: FOUR PAWS