MEDIA RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SPCA TSHWANE

DATE OF RELEASE: 29 OCTOBER 2019

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) TSHWANE, has recently taken in a stray dog after it has been spotted by a member of the public. The dog was dragging part of his hind leg behind him, only attached by some skin – presumably been bitten off by another dog.

On 3 October 2019, a member of the public, reported to the SPCA TSHWANE, that a medium size, light coloured stray dog, was seen in the Erasmia area, Pretoria.

SPCA TSHWANE Inspector, Diale Ratsela, was tasked immediately to collect the dog.  He found the dog, but the dog was bewildered, and even after various attempts, he couldn’t catch the dog.  A much bigger effort was needed, with more staff required to go back to the scene, to assist with the catching of the dog.

Late that afternoon, a passer-by, Mr Leon Fourie, was on his way to his flat, in the same area, when he saw the dog in the street.  The poor dog was painfully hobbling along on three legs, still dragging part of his hind leg behind
him!

The dog looked lost and bewildered, and could have been a stray from Laudium or Valhalla.  Mr Fourie drives a motorcycle, and could therefore not take the dog with him, but immediately put plans in place to rescue this
poor dog.

“I searched on Goggle for animal rescue organisations to assist, and came across a Mayday WhatsApp group for advice, with contact details of Mrs Celia van Zyl, who assisted via her networks. Immediately, the dog’s plight started resonating through a huge local network of animal lovers, sending out calls for help” says Mr Fourie.

The injured dog’s plight spread like a wildfire, with more rescue organisations coming on board – all with one mission – to assist the Society with the rescue attempt of this dog.  Mrs Van Zyl monitored the information received on the networks. The day progressed, but with rescuers not being able to find the dog, and failed attempts to catch him.

Roundabout 5pm, a call confirmed that he was seen again, but without the dangling, painful lower limb… he was still out there, all alone and in pain!

“Renewed rescue attempts on Friday, 4 Oct 2019, painted a picture of a very friendly stray boy that had the misfortune of being bitten by another dog.  A final attempt late on Friday afternoon, brought the dog safely to the SPCA TSHWANE (Waltloo Branch)” said Mrs Van Zyl.

The dog, received immediate medical attention, on arrival at the Society. Early the next morning, he was taken to the Centurion Branch Clinic, where a Veterinarian assisted to stabilise him.

The dog is now named Leo, after Mr Leon Fourie, who went through much trouble to assist him.

“It was decided that it would be in the best interest of Leo, to amputate his leg, as the leg was injured badly”, said Dr Marianna Berg, Veterinarian at the Waltloo Branch of the SPCA TSHWANE, who conducted the operation. She also gave him strong pain medication before the operation, and confirmed that at least now after the surgery, Leo has no more pain.

The medical expenses for Leo’s leg amputation totals to R20 000.00. The Society urges the public to please assist with funds to cover for medical and rehabilitation costs, as we are not government funded, and therefore solely rely on the public’s goodwill.

• Donate online at https://spcapta.org.za/donate-now/ select ‘Donate towards Leo’s rehabilitation’
• Donate EFT: SPCA Tshwane, FNB, Acc 56160007452 B/Code 261550 ref Leo
• Donate via Zapper: https://www.zapper.com/url/Q7jbu
• Donate via SMS Love to 42303, SMS at R30, T&C, network & admin fees apply

Leo’s rescue bears testimony that the SPCA TSHWANE will never turn any animal away, but assist and take them all in, regardless of our critical financial situation.

Notwithstanding all the challenges, the Society will continue to deliver on its mission, which is to prevent cruelty to, and exploitation of all animals. This is achieved by proactively promoting animal welfare, and enforcing animal protection legislation.

The Society endeavours to maintain a high profile within the community through visibility and interaction, by deploying competent personnel who project enthusiasm and commitment, supported by education and community outreach programmes, while rendering a service that is professional, efficient and accessible to all Tshwane’s residents.

The SPCA TSHWANE would like to thank all the goodhearted citizens, for their effort, in helping to rescue Leo” says Elsa Daniels, spokesperson for SPCA TSHWANE.  “You are most welcome to visit him, at the Waltloo Branch, and don’t forget to bring a doggie treat with!  We will update you regularly on Leo’s progress. ” she said.

Please contact your nearest SPCA TSHWANE branch for more information.

Waltloo Branch – Tel: 0128035219 / 0834533863 after-hours

Centurion Branch – Tel: 0126645644 / 0828075671 after-hours

Email address for general enquiries:   Admin@spcapta.org.za

MEDIA RELEASE
ISSUED BY THE SPCA TSHWANE

DATE OF RELEASE: 23 OCTOBER 2019

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) TSHWANE, is currently experiencing severe financial difficulties and will have to downscale considerably, within a matter of days, if it does not receive emergency funding.

Notwithstanding prudent financial management, no debt, ongoing fundraising initiatives, and clean audited financial statements every year, SPCA TSHWANE has been experiencing year-on-year decline in financial support as charitable giving suffers in tough economic times. “We are desperately looking for alternative sources of fundraising income, as our continued existence becomes more and more uncertain every day” says Jacqui Grove, Chairperson of the SPCA TSHWANE Management Committee.

The Society does not receive any funding from the government.

“Over the last couple years we have invested in a number of key projects aimed at creating a steady non-donation
dependent income stream for our Society and to help us to become more self-sufficient, however, realising the benefits of these projects takes a little time, and while the projects mature our ever-increasing month-to-month operational costs must be borne by the Society, this, coupled with less and less donation income, has now depleted our resources and are in urgent need of funds, otherwise we face severe downscaling of the Society’s operations. This is most disappointing for us and more so for the abused and neglected animals of Tshwane as we are convinced that our current financial challenges can be overcome and we believe in the future financial viability of our Society.” says
Grove.

For months the SPCA TSHWANE has been trying to secure funding through a loan or significant donation to alleviate its short-term cash constraints, however all attempts have been fruitless. Grove says that SPCA TSHWANE is now more than ever reliant on the goodwill and donations of the public to assist the Society in fulfilling its mandate and keeping their operations and facilities functional.

The SPCA TSHWANE is urgently appealing to the public to assist us by making a once-off or recurring donation. Donations can be done securely online at https://spcapta.org.za/donate-now/ or directly into the SPCA TSHWANE account:

SPCA TSHWANE
First National Bank
Current Account: 56160007452
Branch code: 261550

SPCA Tshwane is a registered Public Benefit Organisation with Section 18A status and all bona fide donations qualify for a tax certificate and can be deducted from the donor’s taxable income.

For the past financial year, the SPCA TSHWANE Inspectorate responded close to 1600 cruelty complaints, issued over 450 warnings, and conducted over 1 460 on-site
pro-active investigations, routine inspections and home-checks.  The operational, kennel and veterinary units
ensured that 1 050 animals were rehomed, and close to 170 stray animals were reunited with their owners.

The Society also sterilised 1 388 animals, vaccinated 2 067 animals, and provided
veterinary treatment to 1 018 animals, which includes many animals from
underprivileged communities, through sterilisation and outreach initiatives – attending to over 35 400 animals. “If we close or doors, the animals of Tshwane will
suffer” says Grove.

Please contact your nearest SPCA TSHWANE branch for more information.

 Waltloo Branch – Tel: 0128035219 / 0834533863 after-hours

 Centurion Branch – Tel: 0126645644 / 0828075671 after-hours

Email address for general enquiries:   Admin@spcapta.org.za

MEDIA RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SPCA TSHWANE

DATE OF RELEASE: 1 JULY 2019

MEDIA RELEASE:  PET SAFETY TIPS FOR COLD WEATHER

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Tshwane would like to give some pet safety tips for the cold winter.

“You are probably aware of the risks posed by warm weather and leaving pets in hot cars, but did you know that cold weather also poses serious threats to your pet’s health?” says Elsa Daniels, spokesperson for SPCA Tshwane.

Companion animals aren’t the only animals in need of protection during the winter months.  Livestock, including horses and donkeys, have their own unique considerations and needs when the weather gets cold.

SPCA Tshwane Veterinarian, Dr Floris Kruger, would like to give the following tips to pet owners:

• Make sure your dog is vaccinated against Kennel Cough and the normal 5 in 1 vaccine as cold air into the lungs will predispose them to getting bronchitis.
• Cold weather will exacerbate arthritis in all joints and this will be evident by your pet getting up slowly after lying down for a while, not being able to jump on couches and beds and struggling to walk up the stairs. Please consult your veterinarian if you think your pet has arthritis as it is a painful condition that can be treated by a veterinarian.
• Gauteng can get very cold at night in the winter and all animals should have access to proper shelter. All animals regardless of breed younger than 1 year of age should be inside a house at night. Breeds with thick coats such as Huskies, St. Bernards, Chow’s and German Shepard dogs might prefer to stay outside during the night but they should always have the option to come inside if they want to. Small breeds with short hair such as Yorkies, Pekingese, Doberman Pinchers and Toy Poms should definitely be protected from the cold.
• Even though the animals are inside a house at night the floor might be very cold so it’s a good idea to put a couple of newspapers under the dog’s blanket to insulate against the cold.
• Make sure that your cat has a clean litter box that is inside the house because if it’s too cold cats won’t go outside to use a litter box and it will lead to bladder infections.
• In a multi cat household there should always be one more litter box than the amount of cats in the house and the litter boxes should be in different rooms and not close to the cat food as cats are very territorial and can feel threatened if all the litter boxes are in the same place.

Mrs Karen Gelderblom, Kennel Manager at the Waltloo Branch, added that wooden dog kennels can be insulated by nailing carpet pieces to the floor and insides of the kennel. Kennels placed on a patio or veranda are naturally more protected from wind than a kennel placed in the garden.  The floor of the kennel should be off the ground, and the bedding should be thick, dry and changed regularly to provide a warm, dry environment. The door to the kennel should be positioned away from prevailing winds.

If your dog has a short coat, or seems bothered by the cold weather, consider a sweater or dog coat.

Chances are good that your pets will be spending more time inside during the winter, therefore make sure that your house is properly pet-proofed. Use heaters with caution around pets, because they can burn or they can be knocked over.

Please contact your nearest SPCA TSHWANE branch for more information.