The manager of the Boksburg SPCA, Maggie Mudd, sheds light on the subject: ‘What does the SPCA do?’
Magisterial authorisation
Qualified inspectors receive magisterial authorisation in terms of the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962, from the magistrate in which area they are working – and that authorisation permits an Inspector to exercise powers under the Animal Protection Act, as well as Regulation 468.
Basically, the SPCA is the ‘animal police’ and like the SAPS, qualified inspectors can and will obtain warrants to enter premises, where access may have been denied to them – and will proceed with laying criminal charges against any individuals who are found to have been intentionally cruel to any animal.
What must I do if I see someone being cruel or abusive to an animal?
Anyone witnessing someone hurting or abusing an animal, must immediately report it to their local SPCA, where all the details will be recorded on a complaint sheet.
An inspector will then be sent out to investigate the animal welfare complaint – and he or she will revert back to the complainant within a seven day period, on what has been found.
If the act of cruelty has actually been seen by the complainant, then the inspector could request them to write out a Sworn Affidavit at the SAPS, detailing what was witnessed.
This witness may also be requested to testify, if the matter goes to court.
What other duties does an SPCA inspector have?
Inspectors are constantly busy and when they’re not carrying out investigations on the animal cruelty complaints that they’ve received (and that can be as many as 10 to 15 per day at the Boksburg SPCA), then they’re carrying out what’s called ‘Pro-active work’ – which means that they carry out inspections of any establishments where animals are either kept, sold or worked.
That can include inspecting local pet shops, grooming parlours, security companies, petting farms and abattoirs – to ensure that the animals within these establishments aren’t being abused in any way and that no contraventions of the Animal Protection Act 71 of 1962 are taking place.
What else does an SPCA do?
Obviously, the society also accepts into their care any unwanted animals; and attempt to find them new and caring homes.
Owners are requested to fill in an Admission Form for the animal/s that they’re handing over to the society – and important information such as the name, age and if the animal has already been sterilised/vaccinated, is noted.
Further details, such as if the animal is good with other dogs, cats, children, etc. is also recorded – as that helps the SPCA to re-home the animal responsibly.
SPCAs also accept any stray animals into their kennels and catteries and, according to the Municipal By-Laws, these stray animals will be held for a period of seven days in the pound, before they may be considered ready for adoption.
What if I want to adopt an animal from the Boksburg SPCA?
People wishing to adopt an animal, will be requested to come into the society and meet the animals that have been placed up for adoption.
If they see an animal that they’re interested in adopting, they’ll be asked to fill in an ‘Application to Adopt Form’ which asks lots of pertinent questions and, if the application is deemed to be acceptable, then a ‘meet and greet’ (for dogs only) will be arranged.
If a person has no other dogs, then that part of the adoption process will be skipped.
Once that matter has been sorted out, then someone from the SPCA will come and carry out a pre-home inspection to ensure that the property is large enough for the dog being adopted; that the walls are high enough to prevent the animal from escaping and that there’s adequate shelter available for the dog.
If everything is found to be acceptable, then the adoptee will be advised and requested to come into the society, to fill in the adoption papers and pay the adoption fee.
What is the adoption fee and what does it cover?
To adopt a dog from the Boksburg SPCA, there’s an adoption fee of R800 and that covers the sterilising, first vaccination and de-worming, plus a collar and ID disc.
To adopt a cat, the adoption fee is R600 and includes the same as for dogs, except the collar is elasticated to prevent the possibility of strangulation, if the collar should get caught on a branch of a tree, for example.
