Dr GILSON Muchopa, controlling vet at the Durban & Coast SPCA, with one of their pups up for adoption. Dr GILSON Muchopa, controlling vet at the Durban & Coast SPCA, with one of their pups up for adoption.
Durban - ’TIS the season to be jolly, but not for the province’s SPCA.
They will be on the back foot because of an increase in the number of mouths they have to feed.
In the Upper Highway area, the Kloof and Highway SPCA will experience an increase in admissions before, during and after the festive season.
Last December saw 1077 animals admitted.
Kloof and Highway SPCA manager Barbara Patrick said they found that their admissions increased over the festive season for reasons including animals surrendered because they were an inconvenience when people went on holiday.
SPCA eManzimtoti gets at least 40 animals coming in over the festive season.
Michelle Hannan of SPCA eManzimtoti said the animals they admitted either ran away from home, or were left at home alone or with neighbours.
Pets could also be unwanted Christmas presents.
In addition, it was breeding season, and some people were emigrating or moving to smaller properties.
The Durban & Coast SPCA will be running a Jingle Bowls campaign to help in the effort to feed the animals.
Marketing manager Tanya Fleischer said about 1500 stray, unwanted and abandoned pets would be left in their care.
“Our hungry orphans munch their way through more than 10 8kg-bags of food every day, as well as umpteen cartons of canned food.”
Fleischer said a donation would help keep the food bowls “jingling” all through the holidays.
Down the coast, the Lower South Coast SPCA averaged an intake of 290 animals a month in the past three years and numbers increased to 367 (November 2018) and 411 (December 2018).
Senior supervisor Stacey Beck said the SPCA was busy due to the number of stray dogs and cats and also because of increased reports of cruelty and abuse.
“The festive season brings about a lot of disruption to normal routines and this is when domestic pets are likely to get out of their owners’ yards or control.
“The increased cruelty reports are often as a result of people going away on holiday and not adequately providing care,” Beck said.
She said they also saw an increase in the number of pets that are surrendered during the festive season.
People list affordability as their main reason, but sadly often older
animals have no place after new puppies and kittens are gifted at Christmas, Beck added.
The SPCA will be open through the festive season but it urges the public to:
Keep pets safe at all times.
Ensure pets are microchipped and that their details are correct.
For missing pets, report the animal and bring a photo.
Help confine stray animals or physically take them to the SPCA.
Support fund-raising initiatives and donate to SPCA charity shops.
Make a donation to the SPCA or drop off food at the SPCA or at food bins.
Inspectors will be on duty to rescue abandoned and ill-treated animals.