GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - There has been a wonderful response in the last few months to the plight of the local SPCA, with both financial aid and offers of help being received.
One such generous donation was from local manufacturers Montego Pet Nutrition, who gave a selection of wet dog and cat food, food sauces and treats.
"Our dogs and cats think Christmas has come very early this year!" said SPCA secretary Sonya Bouwer.
There is a perception in the community that the role of the SPCA is to act as an adoption agency for unwanted dogs and cats. Finding homes for maltreated and unwanted animals is indeed a part of their work, but their mandate is much wider.
The full name of the organization, The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, brings home the core reason for the Society's existence –prevention of cruelty to animals.
Bouwer explained that SPCAs in South Africa are governed by the SPCA Act No. 169 of 1993. The rules and operational guidelines pertaining to this Act are formulated with the input of 87 member SPCAs. Individual SPCAs are therefore stakeholders, while the National Council of SPCAs administers the Act to ensure the maintenance of standards as determined by member SPCAs.
All SPCAs are autonomous and are individually responsible for the running of their own rescue centres, for raising funds in their respective areas and for providing a service to animals in the areas in which they operate.
SPCAs are run by paid-up members who elect working committees, and these committees appoint paid employees who are trained for various posts.
Some of these posts include trained inspectors and field workers who must be officially trained by the National SPCA. The Graaff-Reinet SPCA employs an inspector, a field officer, a kennel manager and three kennel workers responsible for feeding animals and cleaning their kennels.
The services that are provided by the SPCAs depend mostly on the financial position of a specific SPCA since SPCAs do not receive any government funding.
Some of the SPCAs are well funded by their district municipalities (for example the Garden Route SPCA and Cape Town SPCA). Some municipalities realise that the SPCAs are in fact rendering a municipal services but at a fraction of the cost. However, in Graaff-Reinet, the SPCA is only allocated R1 500 per month from the local municipality –not even enough to pay one kennel worker.
At this stage, the local SPCA needs R50 000 per month for basic running costs, excluding veterinarian expenses for treatment or sterilisations and vaccinations, or any other extras.
The Graaff-Reinet and District SPCA serves Graaff-Reinet, Nieu-Bethesda and Aberdeen. The kennels accept surrendered animals and can, after obtaining a court order, confiscate animals in distress.
They provide shelter and the opportunity for adoptions under strict conditions. One of these conditions is that no unsterilised animal may be adopted and potential 'owners' and their living conditions must be screened.
The SPCA's trained animal welfare assistants or, if necessary, a veterinarian also provide euthanasia to those animals in distress with no hope of recovery or an alternative home.
They provide a dip and deworming service to animals in the townships and an educational program with visits to schools. If funds permit, veterinarian treatment and free and subsidised sterilizations are included in the services provided.
Residents who are members of the SPCA are allowed to board their animals at a discounted rate when on holiday (membership costs a mere R100 per year).
The SPCA explained that there are some situations where people think that they must get involved, but these are not actually within their mandate and are usually the responsibility of the Municipality or police. These include persistently barking dogs that disturb the peace, stray animals, and the collection of dead animals.
Complaints are sometimes also received about people selling dogs in particular. The NSPCA opposes the trading of animals, however, it is not illegal and the local SPCAs, therefore, have no jurisdiction to intervene unless there are welfare concerns.
'We bring you the latest Graaff-Reinet, Karoo news'
