Holidays huge stress for pets

Animal groups battle as cases of cruelty and abandonment soar

MORE than 1 000 incidents of animal cruelty, abandonment and runaway pets were reported to animal groups in Nelson Mandela Bay last month.

Officials said the holiday season was traditionally one in which incidents skyrocketed, with people relocating, or going away on holiday, and fireworks causing major distress to animals in the metro.

Animal welfare organisations have been inundated with calls from people in and around the Bay since the summer season officially opened on December 16.

Animal Anti Cruelty League (AACL) inspector Beverley Rademeyer said the organisation had been inundated with calls.

She estimated at least 500 incidents had been reported to the centre since December 16.

Rademeyer said these ranged from injured animals, runaways, abandoned animals and fireworksrelated incidents.

The reports included those from other organisations which had asked for assistance, social media and other forms of communication.

She said there was a growing, and very concerning, upward trend of animals being injured because they had been chained up.

“I have found the chaining of animals to be a big problem, especially in the northern areas and also the townships,” she said.

In one incident last week, Rademeyer said she received a call-out to the Bethelsdorp area where a dog had been chained up.

She ended up going to four other homes where owners had also chained their dogs, resulting in injuries.

Rademeyer said all the owners received warnings from the AACL. Staff would go back to check if these pets were still being chained.

“I have dealt with instances where animals have died because of this practice. It saddens me that people treat their animals in this manner.”

She said since December 28 she had dealt with at least 50 incidents, while receiving numerous other complaints regarding animal abuse and cruelty.

Save-a-Pet manager Leigh Done said the centre, situated in Greenbushes, had also received a number of calls from members of the public asking if they could bring animals to the centre.

Incidents ranged from injured and abandoned animals, animals hurt in fireworks-related incidents as well as strays. She said the centre had dealt with at least 20 incidents since December 16.

SPCA Uitenhage manager Marion Diener said they had been much busier than previous years.

She said at least 20 incidents had been reported during the festive period, some of which were out of their jurisdiction. She said they would enlist the help of organisations closer to the area.

Diener said animals injured in vehicle accidents were most common over this period.

She said the main cause was dogs not being familiar with their surroundings and panicking as they tried to escape captivity.