Cape Town - Pet Lovers in Table View were barking mad after an attractive container that acted as a dog adoption office was removed following complaints from a residents' association.
Oscar's Arc Woof Project regularly has a dog adoption container at designated areas around the Western Cape, where the public can adopt a dog.
The dog adoption container was removed from its location at Eden on the Bay on Tuesday due to complaints from various stakeholders in the area over the weekend.
"The whole of Cape Town has hosted the Woof Project dog adoption and I think it is sad that such a great initiative can be stopped by a few people. There should have been no objections by anyone to remove the container because they were only there for two days,” said Cheryl Campbell, chairperson of Sighthound Rescue SA and a resident of Table View.
The popular lawn at Eden on the Bay is located alongside the Big Bay Master Property Owners Association (BBMPOA), and a complaint was sent to the ward councillor of that area that the dog adoption container should be removed due to its being there unlawfully, explained Anthony Avidon, chairperson of BBMPOA.
“We requested its removal from the lawn because I was not aware that we were party to this agreement and we didn't get approval,” said Avidon.
“An incomplete permit application was submitted to the council.”
However, Joanne Lefson of Oscar's Arc disagreed.
“Oscar's Arc was provided with written permission from the City of Cape Town and all requested documents were completed accordingly. Unfortunately, there was an unintentional oversight in gaining the additional permission required by the BBMPOA, and as such, the container was removed upon their (BBMPOA) immediate demand,” said Lefson, founder and director of Oscar's Arc.
She explained that the removal of the container was “unnecessary and unfortunate because the 28 dogs whose lives depended on the Woof Project at Eden on the Bay would not have the opportunity to be adopted.
“This was an unfortunate error. We will continue to comply with the rules to transform dog adoption in the Western Cape and save dogs."