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Sterilisation is the solution

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17,000 dogs and cats come through the doors of the Cape of Good Hope SPCA every year. That’s nearly 1500 animals a month.

Hard to imagine, right?

Pet over-population is a chronic and serious issue in the Western Cape. Just one unsterilised pet and its offspring can produce over 60,000 lives in 6 years! And there simply aren’t enough homes for all these animals.

At the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, we believe that pet over-population and the resulting neglect, abuse, relinquishment to animal shelters and subsequent euthanasia of many of these animals are preventable problems with a rational solution.

The solution is sterilisation programmes.

With this in mind, the Cape of Good Hope SPCA and Infurmation partnered together to offer free sterilisations to residents in Vrygrond, Capricorn Park.

In July last year, the Cape of Good Hope SPCA was approached by a group of Marina Da Gama residents who wanted to do their part to help animals on Mandela Day. Their aim was to speak to animal owners in Capricorn Park about their pet’s health and hand out educational flyers on common pet health problems such as worms, ticks, fleas and mange. Their other goal was to obtain a list of pet owners who wished to have their unsterilised animals sterilised.

The result of the volunteers’ efforts was a list of 32 people with 78 cats and dogs. They were all willing to have their pets sterilised at the SPCA, but were unable to pay for the surgeries themselves.

Infurmation was able to secure funding for the Cape of Good Hope SPCA so that they could conduct free sterilisations for these residents in Capricorn Park.

In November 2016, the Cape of Good Hope SPCA’s Education Team began visiting the houses on the list, one by one, collecting animals to be brought back to the SPCA Animal Hospital in Grassy Park.

Unfortunately, many residents were sleeping during the day when our Education Team knocked on their door, which meant that we weren’t able to sterilise their animals. However, the team visited other local residents to offer free sterilisations and, as with every community we reach, some people were willing but others couldn’t be convinced about the benefits of having their animals sterilised.

But the team persevered and once the sterilisations were completed, the animals were returned to their owners who were extremely grateful for the veterinary care their animals received.

In less than a month, we were able to sterilise 63 cats and dogs.

The long term benefit of this project will be a reduced number of unwanted litters, improved health and welfare, a decline in aggressive dog behaviour and a reduced amount of strays. It will also help to reduce the phenomenal costs that animal shelters, municipalities and the public carry due to addressing these animal welfare problems.

By working together, the Cape of Good Hope SPCA and Infurmation recognised the cause rather than the symptoms of the dire state of animals in Cape Town’s informal settlements and made a lasting impact on their lives.

Animal Shelters Seek Metro’s Help

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Beverly Rademeyer from the Animal Anti-Cruelty League (AACL)
Photo: Werner Hills

ALL dogs deserve a loving home, but when these dogs become commodities, and are bred for profit, it doesn’t matter how well meaning or qualified the breeders are.

“If we wish to put an end to the gross pet overpopulation problem and provide loving forever homes for dogs in need of them, there is no real justification for the perpetuation of dog breeding.”

These are the words of Beverley Rademeyer from the Animal Anti-Cruelty League (AACL).

Following the plight of the overpopulation of dogs due to illegal breeding throughout the metro,

which results in animal cruelty and neglect, the local animal organisations have come together to plea with the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality to help them in their fight against the scourge.

According to these organisations, imposing fines on the illegal dog breeders could assist in bringing the transgressors to book.

“No matter how you look at the issue, breeding remains problematic and results in overflowing shelters,” Rademeyer said.

She added that in most animal shelters every cage was full and dogs kept coming.

“The dogs come in as strays or are abandoned while many others are surrendered.

“What really breaks my heart is that in as much as we would love to rescue all the dogs, it’s just not possible.”

Rademeyer explained that one of the biggest misconceptions that people had was that domestic animals could be bred for sustain­ability.

“This cannot be further from the truth. Domestic animals do not serve that purpose.

“It is only commercial animals – sheep, cattle, chickens and more – that can be bred by means of ensuring sustainability.”

She also emphasised that education is key. “People need to be educated on what the law requires of them and also about the health aspects that are involved.” 

“They have a responsibility to care for their animals.”

She said, “All we want is for the municipality to come forward and hear our cry.”

Many dogs are euthanised in shelters every year because of a lack of space, resources, and people who are willing to adopt these animals.

Replying to the measures that the municipality had put in place to involve more people in the plight, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality spokesperson Mthubanzi Mniki said they established a dedicated dog control unit which responds to matters related to illegal dog breeding.

“Our subdirectorate is aware of the problem of stray animals and the dog control unit is responsible for collecting stray animals which are reported to the municipality,” he said.

However, the petition drafted by the local animal organisations states that the dog control unit is only tasked with enforcing the by-laws and does not deal with cases of cruelty or neglect.

Currently fines are not issued in terms of the by-laws.

“That is why we are pleading to the municipality to fine illegal dog breeders,” Rademeyer said.

“These fines can then be channelled back to fund sterilisations and animal welfare.

“Our main focus is sterilisation as we believe this can help in curbing the issue of overbreeding.”

Mniki said the municipal subdirectorate is not yet in possession of the petition relating to fining illegal dog breeders, “however, the municipal by-laws are clear on this matter; no one is allowed to breed dogs without municipal consent”.

He assured that there were plans in place to give the dog control unit the capacity to do their job better.

Written by: Thandi Setokoe
Source: www.news24.com

Sterilisation – Conquering the Overpopulation Crisis of Cats and Dogs

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In a period of just six years, one female dog and her litter can reproduce up to 67 000 puppies! Similarly, in a period of 7 years, one female cat and her offspring can reproduce 370 000 kittens, and the numbers continue to increase exponentially from there! Unsterilised male dogs and cats are the prime contributors to this overpopulation crisis as they can impregnate a multitude of females within a short period of time, thereby producing countless unplanned litters.

To further aggravate the situation in South Africa, the following statistics were published by Statistics South Africa Census 2012, Eighty20 (SAARF Living Standard Measures 2012), South African Veterinary Council (SAVC 2012), World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA 2008), Animal Welfare and Private practices 2012, and South Africa Mass Animal Sterilisation Trust (SA.MAST) :

Over 40 million South Africans rely on animal welfare organisations to support their pets, however these establishments are under immense strain being only able to assist a segment of this population, thereby leaving innumerable animals without any access to basic veterinary care.

It’s been reported that South Africa has a grave scarcity of specialist surgeons, with only twelve practicing in the entire country. This problem is further exasperated by the fact that less than one surgical specialist is allocated per major city outside of Johannesburg and Pretoria. This amounts to approximately 870 000 homed dogs and cats for every surgeon. Older surgeons and veterinarians are also retiring from private and animal welfare practices, thereby causing a shortage of mentors to teach new graduates.

This explains why millions of innocent dogs, cats, puppies and kittens are euthanised every year, due to the shortage of both loving homes to take them in and people without access to animal welfare services. Sterilisation is the affordable, simple solution to saving millions of animals from a life of struggle with hunger, thirst, neglect, abuse or euthanisation in animal shelters because their forever family never arrives. As responsible pet parents, you can make the difference by sterilising (spaying or neutering) your pets to ensure no unplanned litters occur.

  • What is spaying and neutering of cats and dogs?
    Sterilisation (spaying or neutering) is when a qualified veterinarian performs a surgical procedure involving removal of a pet’s reproductive organs.

  • What are the Benefits of Sterilising my pet?

    Sterilisation in both male and female cats and dogs has many far-reaching benefits, namely:

    • Improved longevity and avoidance of unplanned litters.
    • Sterilised pets are less susceptible to contract some diseases such as Feline Immunodeficiency Virus in cats or the Transmissible Venereal Tumour virus in dogs.
    • Having your female cat or dog sterilised at an early age can further protect them from the later onset of critical health issues such as urinary infections and mammary gland cancer, which are found to be malignant in approximately 50 percent of dogs and 90 percent of cats.
    • Elimination of hormone-induced moodiness and uncomfortable, stressful symptoms associated with heat cycles.
    • Reduction of the frustrating behaviours of heat cycles, such as yowling and inappropriate urinating around the home.
    • Neutering male pets may reduce certain behaviourial problems related to the instinct of mating. This ensures they are far less likely to perform a Houdini-style escape from home to roam in search of a female mate, thereby reducing the chance of them being run over by a vehicle or getting into fights with other animals.
    • Altered males are less inclined to mark their territory around the home by spraying a strong-scent over all your household belongings. This should also eliminate the instinctive need to mount people, other dogs and nonliving objects.
    • Neutered males have a reduced chance of developing prostate and testicular cancer, thereby enhancing their quality and quantity of life.

Remember, whilst sterilising your male pet reduces their testosterone levels, there is no guarantee that their unfavourable behaviour will improve. This is because they may have become accustomed to certain learnt behaviours and there is the possibility that these habits will continue if left unchecked. At the end of the day, the outcomes of neutering are largely influenced by your pet’s unique character, biology and history.

  • Will altering my pet affect their weight?
    The process of spaying or neutering has been known to reduce the quantity of sex-related hormones which may lead to a decrease in a pet’s metabolic rate, but a lifestyle of regular exercise and a healthy diet will ensure your pet is kept slim, fit and shapely. A pet’s age, breed and level of activity are also factors when taking dietary concerns into account. Portion servings and exercise regimes will need to be adjusted accordingly as your pet gets on in years and depending on whether their breed is prone to weight gain.
  • How can you teach your children about “the miracle of birth”?
    There is a wealth of information available in the form of books, videos and online programmes to responsibly teach your children about reproduction. Allowing your pet to breed is not only teaching your child to be reckless, but it’s contributing to the current calamity of countless pets dying in shelters because there’s a deficit of loving homes for the rapidly growing population.
  • Is sterilization safe?
    Spaying or neutering of pets is the most commonly performed surgical procedure conducted by veterinarians. Your furry friend will receive a general anesthetic during the procedure and pain medication to manage any associated pain thereafter, thus experiencing moderate pain and discomfort. The occurrence of complications resulting from these procedures is very low.
  • What is the best age to spay or neuter my pet?
    It’s always best to consult your veterinarian about when the most appropriate age to sterilise your pet is as this could vary between breeds, ages and individual health statuses, however, most veterinary practices will only sterilise your pet after they are 6 months old.
  • What are the costs involved?
    If your pet produces offspring, you are then responsible for the wellbeing of the wee ones. Sterilising your pet is a far more cost-effective solution than having to care for a litter of pups or kittens. Many animal welfare organisations and shelters offer free sterilisations to make the procedure more accessible for pet parents to do the right thing.
  • Pre-Surgery Tips
    Your vet will give you the necessary information required regarding preparing your pet for surgery. They will probably insist that your pet fasts the night before undergoing anesthesia, but instructions may differ for younger pups and kittens, so ensure you are given accurate instructions pertaining to your pet’s individual set of circumstances.
  • Post-Surgery Recovery Tips
    • It is best to keep your pet indoors overnight, in a peaceful place away from noise or other pets until the anesthetic has fully worn off. Pets that have not fully recovered and are left to roam may not be as quick to react in a dangerous situation and may come to harm.
    • Ensure your pet doesn’t jump and run for approximately 10 days after the operation, or for as long as your physician suggests.
    • Ensure the incision remains free from infection by preventing your pet from licking it. This can be done by offering them treat distractions or using an Elizabethan collar.
    • Don’t bath your furry pal for at least 10 days after the operation.
    • Conduct daily inspections of the incision to ensure efficient healing.

Consult with your vet if you notice any of the following:

  • The incision is red, swollen, open or producing any discharge
  • If your pet is unusually lethargic, has a reduced appetite, is vomiting or has diarrhea.

Cities and countries worldwide are aggressively addressing the animal overpopulation crisis and areas that are efficient in doing so have reported drastic reductions in the numbers of animals being taken in to animal shelters and euthanised. It all starts with you and your community, so spread the word about pet sterilisation. Together we can overcome this crisis and in so doing, contribute to the happiness and wellbeing of the precious animals with which we share this beautiful planet.

Written for inFURmation
by Taliah Williamson

NPO needs your help

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The number of neglected, sick and homeless animals that animal welfare organisations who rely on public funding struggle to rescue, treat and rehome every year is increasing.

Spaying and neutering is a relatively quick surgical procedure with a long-lasting impact on animal welfare and overpopulation. It reduces the spread of zoonoses (diseases transmitted from animals to humans) in densely populated and water scarce, poor communities.

Tears Animal Rescue, which has been operating in the Cape Peninsula’s far south for the last 18 years, is a registered Tears Animal Rescue (NPO) whose aim is to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome abandoned, abused and neglected dogs and cats. The organisation operates a veterinary clinic and provides subsidised veterinary care. It provides free sterilisation and subsidised medical assistance to pets in communities such as Masiphumelele, Ocean View, Mountain View, Red Hill and Vrygrond, seven days a week. The organisation also provides care to feral cat colonies across the Western Cape.

Tears Animal Rescue’s chief veterinary surgeon, Dr Patti Foster, says they treat hundreds of animals monthly. Foster advocates sterilisation as the primary means of reducing domestic animal overpopulation. “Sterilising humanely reduces the number of unwanted pets and homeless animals, and indirectly the amount of contagious pathogens for diseases such as rabies, parvovirus and canine distemper virus in dogs, and feline enteritis, feline panleukopenia and feline respiratory disease, or snuffles, in cats.”

In the last financial year, the Tears clinic sterilised 5314 dogs and cats for free. Currently Tears’ two vets are sterilising an average of 400 animals a month, with approximately 300 or more rescued or surrendered animals homed at its shelters.

In addition, its 12-year-old Tears Feral Cat Project, a trap-neuter-return policy that ensures that feral cat colonies all around the Western Cape are humanely trapped, brought to the clinic for a health check, are sterilised and released back to their original home. Populations are supervised, fed and monitored by caregivers. Tears launched their “Pay-for-a-Spay” campaign via the www.tears.org.za website in January, with Hill’s Pet Nutrition donating R50 000 towards the cause, which has since enabled 143 pets to be sterilised.

Tears co-founder and director, Marilyn Hoole says: “Our mission in 2018 is to engage with the corporate sector to create sustainable and impactful programmes that will allow us to extend our service footprint.”

Donations from community member make a big difference, says Hoole.

V To donate to the “Pay-for-a-Spay” campaign and support the work being done by Tears, visit http://tears.org.za/pay-for-a-spay/

Source: News 24

Public must be informed to avoid animal cruelty

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Image: Pixabay

The failure to report acts of animal cruelty is also a criminal offence.

A few cases of animal abuse have recently been reported in Benoni, Benoni City Times reports.

SPCA inspector Shiven Bodasing reminded the public that animal abuse is a criminal offence, which could result in imprisonment.

Michelle Mann, who owns Michelle’s Pet Grooming Parlour in Fairleads, specialises in grooming rescue animals, particularly Pekingese, Rottweilers and pitbulls.

Recently, Mann encountered a dog that suffered from transmissible venereal tumour (TVT), which she describes as a growth on the genitals.

“This can be caused by over-mating or being in unhygienic areas,” she said.

Mann said most people do not tend to their animals when they are sick because of financial implications.

“What most people do not know is that they can visit the SPCA to fill out a South African Vet Association [Sava] means test,” she said.

Pet owners can apply for this so the vet can tend to their animals at a reduced price.

Boksburg resident Claudine Matthews, who owns Paws Rehoming, visits informal settlements in Boksburg and Benoni to educate pet owners and provide care to pets in need.

“I give food, first aid, sterilisation and even vaccination to pets,” she said.

When the animals are in dire need of help that is beyond Matthews’ capability, she refers them to a vet.

“The SPCA must impose fines when needed to those who abuse their animals,” she said.

Matthews found a dog in Boksburg on March 31 that was tied by its legs.

“She had no access to food or water so I called the SPCA who took the dog and her puppies,” Matthews said.

In her experience, Matthews has seen dogs that were burnt, had broken bones, were dehydrated, hungry and tied to short ropes.

Matthews can be contacted on her Facebook page called Paws Rehoming for more educational information about owning a pet.

Non-profit organisation Namaqua Dog and Donkey Foundation (NDDF) chairperson Reinette Smith and secretary Maria Marques said the aim of the organisation is to sterilise animals.

The women were called to Etwatwa on April 2 by the owner of a dog to say the dog seems as if it is dying.

“We went to see the dog and the rope around the dog’s neck was about 4cm deep into the neck,” Smith said.

“The dog was about five years old and its neck was rotting because the rope was so tight.”

But animal abuse is not uncommon according to Smith, who said in her time of working with animals, she saw animals burnt with water, ears cut and eyeballs removed while the animal was alive.

Bodasing said animal cruelty may be a result of ignorance, neglect or intention.

“Any act which may constitute as animal cruelty is defined as any act which causes the unnecessary suffering to any animal, which includes injury or the risk thereof,” he said.

“The SPCA has dedicated and qualified law enforcement officers known as inspectors who are mandated to investigate, enforce, rectify and amend any and all contraventions of the Animals Protection Act no 71 of 1962.”

Bodasing said SPCA officers are empowered to obtain and execute search and seizure warrants, as well as warrants of arrest.

“If any member of the public is aware or made aware of any intentional or neglectful cruelty to animals, they are obliged by national law to report such suspected criminal act[s],” he said.

“Failure to report such act[s] shall also constitute as a criminal offense.

“The personal details of every complainant are kept strictly confidential and will under no circumstances be divulged to anyone.”

The Benoni SPCA can be contacted on 011 894 2814/5.

Animal cruelty is a schedule one criminal offence and has set penalties upon conviction.

Such penalties may include imprisonment and or a fine as contemplated by the Animals Protection Act no 71 of 1962.

Source: The Citizen

Pet lover’s quest to bring stray Mauritian dog to SA

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Pietermaritzburg animal lover, Lilisha Chetty, her husband Gavin, her sister Nishana Maharaj and a friend Niven Dhewnarian have embarked on an intensive crowdfunding campaign to bring a stray dog from Mauritius to a forever home in South Africa. The group met the dog, Hanna, while on holiday on the island.

A teary-eyed Chetty, who returned from an emotional seven-day trip, has so far raised R5683 through backabuddy.co.za crowdfunding platform and has invested her own money to bring Hanna home. Chetty, who already has four fur babies of her own, Olaf, Elsa, Anna and Roxy – a PARR rescue dog, will add the sweet Hanna to her family.

Chetty said that Mauritius was such a beautiful island paradise but for animal lovers, the amount of strays is heart wrenching.

“I noticed the stray dogs on my arrival. We fell in love with Hanna and it was evident she really wants an owner. She would creep up behind people and sit beside them. I think she was pretending she had owners. She didn’t know what it was to be petted or cuddled so we had to teach her,” said Chetty.

Described as a gentle soul often shooed away by holidaymakers and resort staff, Hanna developed a bond with Chetty.

“The hotels have strict policies on feeding the animals. I used to smuggle food from the buffet and take Hanna to my veranda to feed her. She is a smart dog who knew my plan. Eventually, when she got used to us, she would walk around with us and sleep on our veranda at night.”

Chetty also discovered a park on the island used as a dumping ground for unwanted dogs. She rescued six dogs and, on the last day of her holiday, spent the last of her currency on 20 bags of food to give to the park caretaker to feed the dogs. Chetty is also working with an organisation in Mauritius called Wellbeing of Strays that is in dire need of funding.

In the past week, Chetty has managed to get Hanna sterilised, dewormed, vaccinated and chipped so that she is ready to make the journey.

“We are waiting for the bloods to be sent to South Africa and then we can arrange her flight. She is currently recovering in foster care. We are hoping to have her here in three weeks,”she said.

Once Hanna’s adoption is concluded, the remaining funds raised will be used to help sterilise as many dogs as possible in Mauritius. “This will be an ongoing effort. A sterilisation camp for 18 dogs will cost about 15 000 Mauritian rupees; converted that is about R5000 and we are planning on doing a few camps a year,”said the passionate dog-lover.

Those considering donating to help Chetty achieve her mission to #bringhannahome can check out more on their Facebook page. You can assist Hanna on www.backabuddy.co.za/bringhannahome

Source: Public Eye

City of Joburg to amend bylaws for dogs and cats

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City of Joburg to amend bylaws for dogs and cats - image

City of Joburg to amend bylaws for dogs and cats

Residents and organisations have until the end of September to respond to the proposed amendments.

The City of Joburg (CoJ) council has given residents and organisations 30 days to comment on suggested bylaw amendments relating to dogs and cats.

The bylaws relate specifically to dogs and cats in section 7(5) of the Rationalisation of Local Government Affairs Act 1998 and Section 12 of the Local Government Municipal Systems Act no 32 of 2000.

According to the notice, there are five reasons why the amendments are important:

  1. Provide that owners of premises and corporate bodies must give written permission for dogs and cats to be kept on the premises;
  2. State certain provisions more clearly;
  3. Provide that notice be given to an owner or person in control of premises where a dog or cat is kept or taken into custody;
  4. Provide clearer directives on the destruction or sale of an animal by a pound master;
  5. Provide a duty for the owner to keep the premises clean and to care for the dogs and cats.

These amendments seek to regulate and enforce responsible pet ownership, making sure that pets are kept in good conditions and that they are indeed happy and thriving.

Residents and organisations have until September 28 to respond to the bylaws. They can submit written submissions to either velaphima@joburg.org.za and/or babalwaf@joburg.org.za and/or nondumisop@joburg.org.za.

Current bylaws can be found on www.joburg.org.za.

Pet bylaws outline the specific legalities around owning a dog or a cat. They outline everything from how many dogs and cats are allowed on different types of properties, to what behaviour is prohibited and may not be displayed when owning a cat or a dog, the destruction of unclaimed pets, and sterilisation.

Source: The Citizen

Bark of approval for AWS SA’s pet project

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Bark of approval for pet project - image1

Cape Town – It’s a school day and Animal Welfare Society of South Africa (AWS SA) inspectors Angie Stanbridge and Rob Richmond are met by Elsies River residents at New Mews Complex in Leonsdale. Many in the group and on the streets are young adults and some are children of school-going age, a phenomenon which is telling of the unemployment problem in the area. They are here to sign up their dogs and cats for sterilisation.

Monday saw the start of AWS SA’s, The project, sponsored by the Rolf Stephan Nussbaum Foundation and Euromonitor International, was started in commemoration of International Homeless Animals Day on August 18.

Above the noise of dogs barking frantically and residents’ laughter and conversation, Stanbridge fills out forms while Richmond rounds up dogs and cats, labels them and puts them into cages.

The unit then moves on, signing up and loading patients into the trailer at every stop. This is a three-step process with patients being operated on the following day (after collection) and returned to their owners two days later.

In Boater Close, there is a special request from a neighbour who took in a stray, Misha, with a bad case of mange, a skin condition caused by parasitic mites.

The inspectors’ mandate is to collect pets from owners for sterilisation, but they make an exception for this suffering dog. Richmond pulls up his sleeves, puts on rubber gloves and gently coaxes the little dog out of her kennel.

Misha’s hairless skin is cracked and leathery all over. This is a highly contagious disease and the team place her in a cage by herself, ensuring she is isolated from the rest of the patients.

Twenty-one patients are collected and a couple of hours later, the team are on their way back to the AWS SA premises where the pets are placed into cages in preparation for their sterilisation procedures the following day.

I am told to be in theatre the following day at 9am. To my surprise the staff complement consists of only five people, including one doctor who will complete all the surgeries.

The staff are courteous, but there’s no time for chatter. Each member knows what his or her responsibility is. This is a well-oiled machine.

Theatre assistant Jack Ngcakaza and nurse’s assistant Maliviwe Mgoduka shave, disinfect and assist Animal Welfare Assistant Nicci Foord as she intubates, inserts an intravenous injection and anaesthetises patients before they go into theatre. Within a couple of hours, they have completed the bulk of the operations.

The fifth person in the theatre is volunteer student veterinary nurse Lauren Henshilwood. Supervised by Foord, she helps with the patients’ intubation and intravenous injection in preparation for surgery.

Foord moves back and forth from the patient to a stainless steel table where medical supplies are kept. Every time she administers a procedure, she strokes the hair of the cat or dog.

She does this even after the animal has been anaesthetised. The care and dignity with which the staff handle the animals is humbling.

Henshilwood makes a detour to the cages, where dogs are barking and whining. She opens a cage to stroke and provide comfort to a dog, then swiftly returns to her work station.

Inside the operating theatre, Dr Zhaneta Stoynova performs surgeries while support staff cart patients in and out of the room.

While Foord awaits her turn to wheel in the next patient, she trims the toenails of an anaesthetised dog lying on a stretcher.

At about midday, with only a few more sterilisations to be done, Stoynova removes her gown and the team take a short break.

I decide to “call it a day” since I have become quite flustered in my attempt to do my job and taking pictures, notes and video without disturbing the routine in the theatre.

On Wednesday morning, I tag along to see AWS SA inspectors Stanbridge and Richmond return the sterilised pets to their owners in Elsies River.

It is clear by the broad smiles that greet the AWS SA team that the pet owners missed their dogs and cats. Barking dogs and jovial banter about how the time spent away from their pet was too long, fill the air.

Eva Hendricks said she signed up her dog, Lady, for sterilisation because her house was too small to accommodate puppies at a later stage and that she needed to focus all her time and energy on her.

She jokingly admitted she missed her dog and almost dished food for Lady the previous night.

Head of Communications and Resource Development for AWS SA, Allan Perrins, said the goal of the Mass Animal Sterilisation Project was to sterilise a minimum of 390 pets in Elsies River and Mitchells Plain, owned by predominantly indigent people.

Perrins cited pet overpopulation in the majority of the Cape Metro area and backyard breeding as the main reasons for the project which involves humane sterilisation of the animals. Sterilisation of pets which have owners goes a long way to addressing the problem of stray animals.

Law Enforcement spokesperson Wayne Dyason said the Animal Control Unit receives many complaints about cruelty to animals and neglect.

“Many young people acquire large and aggressive breeds as trophy dogs and these strong dogs from time to time escape their owners’ properties and inflict life-changing injuries on innocent people in the community. This can result in the pet being put down.

“People who intend getting a pet should register their pets as it is a requirement in terms of the City’s Animal By Law of 2010. Sterilisation is also an aspect of animal care that is being considered for inclusion in proposed amendments to the City’s Animal By Law.

“Treat your pet well by feeding it daily and taking it for walks and you will have a friend for life.”

Statistics published by AWS SA in their Humane Education Booklet: “Teaching Today’s Kids About Animal Welfare”affirm “by spaying and neutering just one male and female cat, more than 2000 unwanted births can be prevented in just four years – and more than 2 million in eight years”, according to Dr John McMullen, AWS SA’s vice-chairman and chief vet.

Source: IOL

TEARS launches fundraising campaign aimed at easing the plight of Community Cats

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TEARS launches fundraising campaign aimed at easing the plight of Community Cats

Leading pro-Life animal rescue and veterinary charity based in Sunnydale in Cape Town, TEARS Animal Rescue, has launched a fundraising campaign ahead of Christmas to raise R500,000.00 and highlight the plight of the City’s abandoned and forgotten community cats.

While TEARS sterilises and vaccinates approximately 250 community and homeless cats every month through its Community Cat Project, TEARS Operations Manager, Mandy Store stresses that there is a critical need for Government and animal welfare organisations to provide a sustained and humane solution to an issue that is marginalised and misunderstood. While it’s impossible to determine how many feral and abandoned domestic cats live in Cape Town, Store confirms that TEARS and its Mobile Clinic team receive up to 10 telephone calls every day about stray or community cats or kittens that need rescuing. 

“Since the onset of COVID19, many pet owners and families that are struggling financially, have surrendered their animals to TEARS. While many strays are lost pets that were not kept properly indoors or provided with adequate identification, many are simply abandoned and expected to fend for themselves. This is especially true for cats, “ explains Store.

TEARS is one of a few animal welfare charities that has been practising a humane Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) Programme since 2007 as a solution for community cats via the TEARS Veterinary Community Clinic in Cape Town’s Southern Peninsula. TEARS Co-Founder and Director, Marilyn Hoole, who has been a passionate crusader for community cats for the last two decades believes that more and more domestic cats are ending up abandoned and on the streets because their owners either move away or can no longer look after them.

”Thanks to the funding we receive annually from The Marchig Animal Welfare Trust and the dedicated team of volunteers who  provide monitoring and feeding support to approximately 500 community cats, we have been able to positively impact the lives of thousands of community cats by providing a sterilisation and vaccination service that enables them to enjoy a quality of life that they would otherwise never experience. Unfortunately however, we are only reaching a fraction of the number of cats that are living desperate lives, forgotten and without hope,” says Hoole.

Domesticated cats that have integrated with existing community cat colonies (there are an average of 10 to 15 cats in a colony), as a result of abandonment or abuse, succeed in diluting the feral gene-pool which makes these types of cats extremely shy, and increase the potential for these cats to be socialised and rehomed. Left to fend for themselves, and without sterilisation and vaccination, community cat colonies can quickly increase in population size and will ultimately either succumb to contagious and deadly diseases like Feline Leukaemia and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (cat FIV), or die from lack of food and malnutrition.

While law enforcement is mandated to collect healthy stray animals, residents who call to complain about a stray cat or cats in the area, are generally told to try and trap or confine the animal themselves. This is not an easy task, and in many instances TEARS has been called too late to rescue cats that have been poisoned or shot by pellet guns.

“There seems to be a negative stigma and perception that feral cats are ‘wild’ or aggressive, which is untrue. The term ‘feral’ simply means that these types of cats are undomesticated and as a result are generally afraid of people. It’s unfortunate that people don’t appreciate the valuable service provided by community cats as they control the population of rodents and other vermin that carry disease and have the potential to damage property and contaminate food,” comments Store.

TEARS asserts that while there are many animal welfare organisations that capture and euthanize community and feral cats, its neither a sustainable nor a humane solution. Sooner or later the empty habitat will either be overrun by other less beneficial species, like rats, or will be replaced by community cats from other colonies. The vacuum effect is a globally recognised scientific phenomenon that can be applied to all types of animal species. 

TEARS Head of Fundraising, Lara Van Rensburg summarises, “Our goal of raising R500 000 is an ambitious but critical one. It will literally change the lives of 1000 community cats and kittens over the course of the next four months. We’re appealing to the public to support this campaign, which we appreciate is one of many in terms of the massive need that exists in the non-profit and animal welfare sectors. However, donating to a worthy cause in  lieu of gifting someone a present that is unlikely to change the world is a great way to embrace this Season of giving back. Every donation we receive, no matter how small, will help TEARS extend its Trap-Neuter-Return Programme in the areas where it’s most needed and end the suffering of hundreds of kittens born to abandoned and feral cats this Christmas.”

Sterilisation and vaccination is a simple, essential and cost effective solution that succeeds in ending the cycle of over-population, illness, starvation and suffering that so many community cats are trapped in.

TEARS launches fundraising campaign aimed at easing the plight of Community Cats

As a recognised PBO all donations to TEARS are tax deductible. TEARS issues tax certificates according to the rules of Section 18A of the Income Tax Act (PBO No.: 930 001 672).

Source: Tears

Doubling pet sterilisations to control skyrocketing population in townships

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Community members bringing pets for sterilisation | Dr Brian Bergman from Mdzananda Animal Clinic sterilising

Community members bringing pets for sterilisation | Dr Brian Bergman from Mdzananda Animal Clinic sterilising

The Mdzananda Animal Clinic in Khayelitsha has launched a programme to sterilise more animals and curb the growing pet population in Khayelitsha. According to their estimations, approximately 300 000 companion animals live in the township, many of which are unsterilised. On the 4th of January they launched a satellite sterilisation clinic in partnership with Blue Downs Animal Hospital in a neighbouring suburb to fight against the population growth.

“The community’s pet population is skyrocketing. Backyard breeding is rife as puppy and kitten sales are income generators. There is also a massive increase in the township’s size and population as people move to Cape Town from other provinces bringing their animals with them,” says Marcelle du Plessis, Fundraising and Communications Executive. “There are many superstitions around female dogs needing to produce at least one litter and that males will lose their ‘manliness’ and stop protecting homes if sterilised. The increasing population means insufficient homes or overcrowded homes which can lead to intentional and unintentional neglect.”

The clinic has extensive education programmes teaching about the importance of sterilisation. Yearly the animal clinic sterilises around 1500 pets. “This is not enough”, says Sr Heidi May, General Manager. “But due to our capacity at our facility, providing medical treatment to over 1000 animals per month, we are not able to do more. We have limited space in our operating theatre and limited veterinarians who also need to care for all patients in our hospital and shelter.”

The clinic had to find a creative solution to make a larger impact in the community and have done so by creating a Satellite Sterilisation Partnership Clinic.

Lynton Adams from Mdzananda Animal Clinic and Dr Rightwell Munyuki from Blue Downs Animal Clinic

Lynton Adams from Mdzananda Animal Clinic and Dr Rightwell Munyuki from Blue Downs Animal Clinic

“We believe in partnerships and that, through standing together, we can do even more good,” says Sr May. They have partnered with Dr Rightwell Munyuki, the owner and veterinarian of Blue Downs Animal Clinic whose practice is serving as a satellite sterilisation clinic for this newly launched programme. “In just five months we have already sterilised 353 extra animals.”

The launch of this programme was made possible by the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in the United Kingdom who sponsored one year’s running costs and sterilisation costs for 720 animals in 2022. The programme has, however, been so well received that they are already reaching more. “We have limited funding for this programme and we don’t want to stop sterilising because of funding restraints. We ask the public to become #SteriSuppawters to reach more animals,” says du Plessis. 

“We would like to reach more animals than the targeted 720 for this year. We can do it but we need to source more funding to make that a reality,” says Sr May. “We want to encourage the public to sign up as #SteriSuppawters and sponsor a sterilisation.”

To become a #SteriSuppawter sign up for a monthly debit order of R100 to sterilise two pets per year or R50 to sterilise one pet per year at www.mdzanandasecure.co.za. Or donate a once off amount of R650 to sterilise one animal.

Bank details:
Mdzananda Animal Clinic,
Standard Bank,
Account number: 075595710,
Branch: Rondebosch,
Code: 025009,
Savings account,
Reference: Steri +Your Name.

Khayelitsha dogs | Sterilisation in progress

Khayelitsha dogs | Sterilisation in progress

For further information visit their website on www.mdzananda.co.za or contact marcelle@mdzananda.co.za. A video of the partnership can be found on your YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/ZF9gVEEGuas

Source: Mdzananda Animal Clinic 
Website: www.mdzananda.co.za