Battle to cope with unwanted pets
WHILE pets are much-loved members of the family for many, for others they are simply an added holiday expense that can be disposed of, resulting in their animals becoming the responsibility of animal shelters.
Amahlati SPCA inspector Yolandi Leslie said the number of dogs surrendered over December and early January went up by about 50%.
“In one instance a dog owner left his dog in the care of neighbours but when he got back its leg was hanging off. The leg was rotting by the time we got to it. The owner surrendered it and we had to put it down. People leave their dogs for neighbours to look after but then the neighbours also go away,” said Leslie.
“There are definitely more animals brought in over December because people are spending more on the Christmas season and in January they spend on school expenses, and can’t afford to feed their animals.
“Sometimes if they have more than one pet they choose one to surrender, or if their dog has puppies they surrender the mother and female pups and keep a male puppy. Over New Year our stray-kennels are also full because of the firecrackers.”
Leslie said when she received a call from a far-flung village resident who wanted to surrender animals, she took a trailer to the area in case more people wanted to give up their pets.
“It is better than people destroying unwanted animals in their own way, like hanging them in trees, stoning or drowning them. It is very hard. We keep ones that are adoptable, but many are sick or in bad condition and have to be put down.”
East London SPCA employee Melanie Fraser said another problem that emanated from the holiday period was puppies and kittens received as Christmas presents “outgrowing their cuteness” and being dumped.
“They are given as living substitutes for teddy bears and when they become adults and are too big or too expensive or they fall pregnant, then they are dumped with us. Sometimes we get the pregnant animals or the mother with an entire litter. People don’t realise cats come on heat as young as five months and not at one or two years as some people think.”
Fraser said some pet owners failed to make boarding arrangements for their animals before setting off on holiday and simply surrendered them.
“The other day we received 10 cats from one person. In June and July we often get the Christmas gift pets that are no longer puppies or kittens.”
Pet Pals Animal Sanctuary founder Sue Kriel said although she was able to board some animals in December, she did not really have the facilities for this. “Some people want us to board their animals over the holidays but can’t afford to pay. They say they will give us food for their pets but it doesn’t work like that. I still have to pay staff, because who is going to clean up after their dogs or walk them?”
She was very cautious about the adoption of puppies and kittens before Christmas.
“I don’t want them to be Christmas presents that are not wanted once they are big, so I ask questions like who will look after the puppy after the holidays. In past Decembers I have refused some people.”
Gail Gane of East London Animal Welfare said tough economic times meant that pets were not a priority in some households. “The rand is not stretching far enough and I had calls this holiday about two dogs who were obviously someone’s pets just left to wander around between Gonubie and Beacon Bay.” —