Durban - CLOSE to 1000 animals which were neglected or affected by fireworks
over the festive season have been
temporarily housed at the Kloof and Highway SPCA.
They include dogs, cats, birds and rabbits.
Sue Noakes, the inspectorate manager, said many of the animals were found in and around the vicinity and were disoriented after the fireworks on New Year’s Eve.
Members of the public dropped off some of the animals at the SPCA offices.
Of the several hundred animals seeking refuge at the facility, only 41 have been reclaimed by their owners.
“The number of animals that were brought in during the festive seasons is on the rise,” said Noakes, who has been working at the Kloof and Highway SPCA for five years.
The animals were either injured while trying to get through fences or if agitated by the fireworks, they ended up fighting with other animals.
Others SPCA staff tended to had tumours and skin conditions. They were treated at the clinic.
She said the SPCA had a pound period of seven days, as stipulated by the eThekwini Municipality.
On the eighth day the animals, which are vaccinated and sterilised, are put up for adoption.
The families who adopt them are encouraged to microchip the animal, which costs R275 at the SPCA.
If they are not adopted after a certain period, they will be put down.
Noakes said there were many factors that went into deciding whether an animal should be put down.
Among them was the inability to accommodate all the animals, a rabies outbreak, the number of staff, and a limited food supply.
“We receive a grant for stray animals from the City, which barely covers
the costs. Most of the money is raised via donations.”
Noakes advised residents whose pets were missing, to visit the facility to reclaim them instead of calling SPCA offices.
That sped up the process and allowed people to get their pets home as soon as possible.
Noakes said those who were
interested in adopting a pet would undergo a rigorous process but
added that it would be worth it.
“It’s important to make sure the right animal goes to the right house. Families can come to the SPCA to look for the animal they would like to adopt.
“They are then interviewed before a reserve is put on the animal. Families are advised to visit the animal with their current pets to get them acquainted.
“The inspector then does a home visit to make sure it is a safe environment for the animal. This includes ensuring there are closed fences and an adequate amount of space for them.”
The successful adoptive families would need to pay a R100 fee for the inspectorate to conduct a home visit. The adoption itself is around R800.
This includes sterilisation, two vaccines as well as a microchip.
Noakes suggested keeping the pets inside the property for at least two
weeks before introducing them to the outside world. That allows them to familiarise themselves with their new owners and home.
Actress and animal rights activist, Kajal Bagwandeen often advocates on social media for potential owners to adopt animalst.
She said animals were like children and needed love, compassion, care and a routine.
Bagwandeen, who starred in the movie 3 Days To Go, has been working with Phoenix Animal and Care Treatment for 15 years. She has two fur kids, Zeus and Layla, who are both adopted.
The actress recently announced on social media that she was pregnant.
Asked if she would keep her fur kids, she said: “They are my babies. They just have four legs.”
If you would like to adopt, you can view the animals at www.kloofspca.co.za