A dog care and education day in Alexandra proved that man’s best friend is a dog.
This was evident when residents brought hundreds of dogs to Enkanyezi Pre-Primary School for health care treatment by an SPCA team in partnership with NPO Women and Men Against Child Abuse.
The dogs were treated, inoculated, dipped for various diseases, groomed and sterilised. The residents were advised and given tips on caring, compassion and empathy for the animals.
Miranda Friedman of the NPO said teaching the public, especially children, to care for their animals would translate into caring for their fellow human beings. “Children in socially and economically depressed areas grow up conflicted by acts of aggression and violence as ways of coping, and are denied opportunities to learn and develop compassion,” she said.
Friedman added that children would learn to be more accommodating of others, and desist from violence which they often mimic as a way of life in resolving conflicts.
She said teaching children emopathy would also assist in reducing animal cruelty. This she said in reference to the growing sport of dog fighting.
“The sport practised underground can get worse if not exposed, and many dogs are injured and discarded when they are no longer useful to their owners. When children learn to care for the animals they will assist to expose this cruel and vicious sport.”
Details: Women and Men Against Child Abuse 011 789 8815