According to an inspector, Ms Elloise Rootman, the organisation enjoyed considerable support from the public after a call for extra dog and cat food last week.
“Our kennels are full of animals that cannot be put up for adoption for now and we needed more food. Luckily, many people rallied to our aid,” she says.
As it has suddenly started getting much colder, the organi- sation now also needs blankets for the animals. Donations of cat litter will also be of great help.
The SPCA is now open from 09:00 to 14:00 from Mondays to Fridays and from 08:00 to 11:00 on Saturdays. The office will be closed on Sundays and public holidays. The hours have been shortened because of the lockdown.
The SPCA is available on the landline at 018 788 6262 during the lockdown office hours. For after-hours emergencies, call 064 752 6035.
New rules have been put in place for people who want to visit the SPCA.
Only one per vehicle will be allowed to enter the office while no one shall be permitted to come in without a mask. A member of the public’s hands will be sanitised and one of the staff will take their temperature reading before they are allowed to enter the office. A register must be signed before entering the office.
“Please note that we have not closed our complaints, etc. We are available 24/7 to attend to all cruelty complaints reported to us. When reporting a stray, please note that it is as difficult for us to catch a stray animal as it is for a member of the public. Wherever possible, when reporting a stray in the street, please stay with the animal or open your gate for them to enter. Keep the animal enclosed until our staff comes to pick them up and remove them.
If a stray is seen roaming around, please try and pick the animal up and bring them to our office.
We have a limited number of staff members and vehicles and an extensive area to cover. It is not always possible to pick the animal up immediately and, therefore, we request help in either bringing the animal in or keeping it enclosed in a safe, escape-free area,” says the chairperson of the SPCA’s governing body, Mr Piet Groenewald.
