50 years of caring for those who cannot speak for themselves
THE Animal Anti-Cruelty League (AACL) Cape Town has celebrated 50 years of service.
The league is dedicated to providing shelter for abandoned animals, promoting an efficient adoption programme, prosecuting animal cruelty cases, running welfare hospitals for lower-income groups and visiting underprivileged areas with fully equipped mobile clinics.
It also offers educational programmes to schools and public facilities to provide knowledge on pet care, importance of vaccinations and sterilisation, and responsible pet ownership.
AACL marketing manager Deborah Pavlou said: “We speak on behalf of animals who cannot speak for themselves and we believe in engendering a society that is kind and respectful to animals, a society that understands that animals are sentient beings, deserving of love and the basic animal freedoms.”
As part of their celebrations the league is requesting R50 direct debit donations from supporters in honour of its 50th birthday.
“With your kind donation you are not only helping us to buy the necessary medication and food for the thousands of needy animals that we care for, but you are also buying yourself a page in our history books,” AACL general manager Venessa Strauss said.
The clinic and hospital attend to over 40 000 animals a year, with the adoption departments caring for more than 150 animals daily, and rehome about 60 animals a month.
Strauss noted that the league aimed to reach more communities and rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming more animals.
Pavlou said the league had grown by leaps and bounds throughout the years, expanding its services to another branch in Bellville south.
“Our mobile clinic has upgraded our hospital and theatre services to provide the highest standard of care.”
Pavlou said AACL “will be running 50 themed campaigns throughout the year, including a sterilisation drive (sponsor the sterilisation of 50 animals), sponsorship for the rehabilitation of 50 animals, to raise R50 000 towards operation costs and to gain 50 new members to our community”.