The dos and don’ts of caring for your pet

MIDRAND – A focus on the two aspects that people tend to conduct on their dogs or perhaps subject their dogs to, with tail-docking and dog-chaining.

May 8, 2018

Welisa Nene 4 minutes read

Midrand SPCA is against the chaining of dogs because it creates mental damage to the animal.

This week, Midrand Reporter zooms into the life of a dog, focusing on the hardships these animals experience at the hands of their owners.

We hope to educate and inform readers to know and understand the dos and don’ts of caring for their four-pawed companions.

Midrand Reporter visited the Midrand SPCA to chat with the general manager, Pam Pretorius, and Brenda Lucas to find out more about tail-docking and dog-chaining.

These practices take place often and owners are uninformed of the harm this can cause to their animals. According to Pretorius, “A chained dog suffers mental damage because of the frustration of not being able to move around freely. This creates a certain level of trauma for the animal regardless of how long they were chained for.”

The Midrand SPCA undertakes a number of pro-active investigations including inspections at hawking sites, chicken farms, animal sale yards, abattoirs, coal yards, security dog sites, animal exhibitions, zoos, petting farms and grooming parlours to observe whether these animals are undergoing this type of treatment.

“We ensure that the best animal husbandry standards are applied at all times and that animals are treated in a humane manner whether they are used as working animals, or intended for human consumption. At the Midrand SPCA, we believe that animals, as living creatures, have a value beyond economic measurement and are entitled to legal, moral and ethical consideration and protection.

“We are mandated to protect all animals from cruelty, neglect and ill-treatment that often results from ignorance of animals and to provide a place of safety and care for all animals in distress,” said Lucas.

Illegal tail-docking

Tail-docking is a form of mutilation and docking of tails when undertaken by non-veterinarians is, in addition to being a contravention of the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962 (as amended by Act 102 of 1972), also a contravention of the Veterinary Act 19 of 1982, regardless of how it is done.

Lucas said the society has had a number of cases during the years where the tails of dogs have been docked.

She mentioned a number of negative aspects regarding tail-docking, which includes the following:

Tails assist with agility
Tails assist with balance
Dogs use their tails for communication and body language
Scientific research has shown that tail-docking is a painful and traumatic experience for a puppy, even if performed under local anaesthetic.

“Even at a few days of age, puppies have a well-developed sense of pain and a fully developed nervous system. Skin, blood vessels, nerves, bone and cartilage are cut during the procedure. If it is poorly done, problems such as nerve damage, neuroma, pain, bleeding, infection, problems with defecating and urinating and even death can occur.”

Any person who is found docking a tail will be liable for prosecution under the Animals Protection Act (APA) 71 of 1962 if maiming can be proved.

Dog chaining

Dog chaining describes a practice whereby dog owners tether their dogs outdoors to a stationary object for extended periods of time.

“In a number of cases, chained dogs may be chained for days, months, or even years. Dog chaining does pose a serious threat to a dog’s physical and psychological well-being and inherently chaining creates a life of misery for dogs who remain solitary and chained for much of their lives.”

There are a number of other risks when chaining your dogs, some of which include:

Chained dogs do not receive adequate physical activity
In a number of cases, chained dogs have died from strangulation after trying to jump over an object or fence
Chained dogs may become aggressive and may be more likely to bite than well-socialised dogs
Chained dogs often pull against a chain, which then causes abrasions to the neck
Chained dogs may suffer high-exposure to disease-carrying insects including ticks and fleas
Chained dogs are forced to urinate and defecate in the same area where they eat and sleep as their movement is restricted by the chain.

The Animals Protection Act Clause 2(1)(a) states, “Any person who overloads, overdrives, overrides, ill-treats, neglects, infuriates, tortures or maims or cruelly beats, kicks, goads or terrifies any animal, shall be guilty of an offence…”

The SPCA believes in the five freedoms for animals including:

Freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition
Freedom to express normal behaviour
Freedom from discomfort
Freedom from fear and distress
Freedom from pain, injury or disease.

What the law has to say about animal fighting:

The Animals Protection Act Section 2(1)(c) of the General Amendment Act 102 of 1972 2A says the following about animal fights:

Any person who …

(a) possesses, keeps, imports, buys, sells, trains, breeds, or has under their control an animal for the purpose of fighting any other law

(b) baits or provokes or incites any animal to attack any other animal or to proceed with the fighting of another animal

(d) allows any of the acts referred to in paragraphs (a) to (c) to take place on any premises or place in his possession or under his charge or control

(e) owns, uses or controls any premises or place for the purpose or partly for the purpose of presenting animal fights on any such premises or place or who acts or assists in the management of any such premises or place, or who receives any consideration for the admission of any person to any such premises or place, or

(f) is present as a spectator at any premises or place where any of the acts referred to in paragraphs (a) to (c) is taking place or where preparations are being made for such act, shall be guilty of an offence…