In the streets the animals are not only at danger of getting knocked over by vehicles, but can also pose a risk to members of the public, especially children, who may approach these dogs and get bitten as a result.
Maggie Mudd from the Boksburg SPCA gives advice on responsible pet ownership.
“It is important to know that as the owner of the dog that is responsible for the biting of a person – or another dog/cat, etc – outside of the animal’s premises, you – the owner – could be held responsible for the medical/veterinary costs incurred,” said Maggie.
ID tags and collars: It is important to ensure that your dog/s have some form of identification on them on the chance that they mistakenly get out of your premises and become a ‘stray’.
The Boksburg SPCA has ID tags and different-sized collars for sale in their office and asks that anyone interested in obtaining these to come into the society to purchase them. ID tags are R25 each and the collars range from R25 to R55.
Microchips: These are tiny electronic chips that are inserted into the neck of the dog and can be ‘read’ by a microchip scanner.
They are a very good way in which to prove ownership of an animal. If your dog is stolen and you know who has taken the animal and it has a registered microchip, then this can be a sure way to show that you are the owner of the stolen animal.
The Boksburg SPCA sells, inserts, records and submits the necessary paperwork (with the microchip company) for these chips for a fee of R250. The insertion of the chip is quick and the paperwork takes approximately five minutes to complete.
Sterilisation: Research has shown that a spayed or neutered dog is far less likely to fight with other dogs, is less likely to want to roam and will not necessarily become overweight if they are sterilised.
Obviously the biggest advantage of all in regards to having this surgical operation carried out on your dog is the prevention of any unwanted litters of pups.
Having a dog sterilised can be expensive and to help pet owners, who may not otherwise be able to afford to have this important procedure carried out, the SPCA has a system whereby owners are requested to complete a form to determine if the organisation is able to assist or not.
It is a type of means test and is based on a person’s income and expenditure.
Training: A dog that has been trained in basic obedience is a real pleasure to own. Knowing that your dog will return to you when called and will walk confidently and calmly on a lead or harness makes taking these animals for a walk in a park or around the area where you reside something that can be enjoyed by both you and the dog.
There are a number of dog-training schools that can help you with the training of your dog. However, care needs to be taken in choosing the correct one for you and your dog and not staying with a school that ‘abuses’ dogs with harsh training or the use of the old fashioned ‘choke chains’ that can damage not only your dog’s confidence, but the trachea of your dog if ‘choked’ or pulled too roughly.
Training your dog at a dog school should be something that the dog enjoys and although some nervous animals can take time to gain confidence in a strange environment with unknown people and dogs, it should still be an enjoyable experience.
