Chairwoman of the Benoni SPCA Marcelle Meredith said in terms of the local by-laws, such animals must be taken to ‘the pound’.
“The Benoni SPCA has what is generally known as ‘pound status’, meaning that they can legally take in stray animals.
“In terms of its agreement with the local council, animals handed in must be kept for a prescribed period, and if reclaimed by their owners, a fee must be paid,” she added.
The fee is determined and regulated by the municipality.
Animals not reclaimed by their legal owners during the so-called ‘pound period’ may then be placed for adoption.
Meredith said it is illegal and could constitute theft for any person or organisation other than ‘the pound’ to take in a lost, stray or wandering animal.
“There is good reason for this. It streamlines the procedure and ensures that the reclaiming process is not fragmented in any way,” she said.
Meredith added that holding onto animals that have been found is irresponsible as well as a contravention of the by-laws and that action can be taken against anyone or any organisation doing so.
“The issue of releasing a stray animal taken in by any organisation other than the Benoni SPCA because of its ‘pound status’ falls under the by-laws too.
“No organisation in the Benoni area other than the SPCA is legally authorised to take in stray animals and/or to release them,” said Meredith.
