Real animal heroes
SPCA heroes’ daily mission
SENIOR Inspector Candice Sadayan’s office walls are covered with photos of dogs which have been starved, beaten, chained or strangled – all telling the tale of how some owners abuse their pets.
And now she puts photos on the wall in the office next door, having run out of space.
The photos can be used as evidence in court cases against abusive owners, but they are also a stark reminder to Durban and Coast SPCA inspectors of why they go to save animals every day.
The Independent on Saturday visited the animal welfare kennels this week.
“The really bad pictures are in the dockets and not on these boards,” says Sadayan. They have had six successful convictions in the past financial year.
We are introduced to recently rescued cross-labrador, Bronzo – chain marks visible around his neck. He clearly enjoys affection but there is still trepidation in his soft brown eyes.
There are seven animal inspectors in Durban and one inspector in Ballito who make up this close-knit team and, much like the reality show, Animal Cops: Houston, they are on call 24/7.
They often have to go out to dangerous areas in the middle of the night where a face-off with an angry pet owner is unavoidable.
“We can get up to 15 calls a day and our investigations last year were close to 12 000, precluding spot checks or home checks for adoptions.
“We collect as much information as possible on a situation before we go out. Once we get to the property we look at the living conditions, as well as the condition of the animal.
“Not a day goes by when one of us is not yelled or sworn at,” says Sadayan, adding, while some call-outs result in finding neglected or injured animals, others can be vexatious, such as involving an unrelated dispute with a neighbour.
Her colleague, Inspector Nish Ramsamy, adds how crucial it is “to stay calm”.
Both are clearly passionate about animals and started as volunteers when they were younger.
With her goal of becoming a vet, Sadayan says that changed the first time she smelt blood. “I thought I cannot be a vet, but now as an inspector I have seen a lot worse. You do get used to it, but never complacent,” she says.
And with many of the heart-breaking situations in which they find animals, how do they get up every morning and head to work with a smile?
“You have to be resilient. If it’s been a bad day, I go home and have a good cry and it helps if you have a shoulder to cry on.
“We have to celebrate the small victories, not only the convictions. Sometimes we can go to a property where a dog has been tied up and educate the owner. When we go back later to check and see that dog is free in the yard, that is a small victory,” says Sadayan.
Ramsamy, who confesses to having a soft spot for the husky breed, says: “You have to stay strong and focused and at the end of the day, know you have helped an animal. I love what I do.
“It also helps to have a strong team such as ours who understand what you are doing and who know what it’s like out in the field.”
There is always an inspector on standby and, as Sadayan says, “cruelty and neglect don’t keep office hours”.
“We have all been in many dangerous situations and have been threatened with all sorts of things.
“Sometimes, if we have to go into a dangerous area in the middle of the night, we ask the local SAPS if they can come with us. If no one is available, we cross our fingers and hope for the best.”
With regard to the six cases which received convictions, the inspectors found the worst case was of a dog which had been starved to the point that the vet found plastic in his stomach, as well as soil and twigs, which he had eaten in a bid to survive.
In another case, a dog suffering from injuries after an attack by another dog, had not been treated. This neglect left large open wounds through which maggots tunnelled.
The highest fine among the recent convictions was R30 000 or one year imprisonment, although fines of up to R120 000 can be given by the court.
While some fines are relatively small, Sadayan says a conviction allows for application of denial of ownership where the convicted owner is no longer allowed to own the dog in the case, own a specific breed of dog, or own a dog at all.
“When it comes to a dog starving to death on the end of a chain, it’s inconceivable how an owner can see this and walk past. Starvation doesn’t happen quickly,” says Sadayan.
Another recent case dealt with by the team involved the dumping of a dog only 2km from the SPCA kennels.
“The dog had been tied up, put in a brown bag and thrown out of the car. Workers nearby noticed the bag was moving and brought the dog to us.
“You don’t have to pay to take an animal into the SPCA,” she says, adding that a pet is a lifelong commitment.
“Puppies are cute but they don’t stay like that. Having a pet is like adopting a child, not to end up forgotten and tied up in the backyard.”