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Euthanasia: Irresponsible community to blame, says SPCA

Springfield SPCA responds to slanderous Facebook post.

THE Durban & Coast SPCA has been forced to defend their society as well as their procedures after a slanderous post was recently shared onto the Durban North Neighbour’s Facebook page.

The post, containing several pictures of seemingly empty kennels, made reference to the entity’s controversial practice of euthanasia by likening the Springfield branch to the Nazi concentration camps.

Lindsey Fogarty, spokesperson for the Durban & Coast SPCA responded saying the organisation was ‘saddened’ by the accusations.

“It saddens our staff immensely when we are accused of being heartless and ruthless regarding euthanasia, especially when one considers that we are left with the abused and neglected animals, some of which are on death’s door when they arrive. There is an overwhelming problem of overpopulation of domestic cats and dogs in South Africa. Blame can only be placed on the people in the community we live in – the pet owners who do not sterilise their animals, the greedy who wish to make a buck from back-yard breeding and the irresponsible who only want a security system and not a pet to love and care for,” she said.

According to Fogarty, the branch only has 91 dog kennels and space for 60 cats at any given time. However, over 1 000 stray or unwanted animals are brought into the branch on a monthly basis.

What’s more, she said the branch, on average, only sees 70 adoptions a month – with most of these adoptions involving kittens and puppies.

“There just aren’t enough homes for these animals. If people aren’t going to come in and adopt these animals what do they want us to do? Where should these animals go? The high incidence of humane euthanasia is a stark reality of working in animal welfare, no matter where you are in the world,” she said.

 

The empty kennels explained
Fogarty said that the kennels featured in the post were boarding kennels, which are available for the public.

“The public can board their pets here at the SPCA while they are away, and during off-peak season these kennels are not full,” she said.

She said that these kennels can not be used for strays as it poses the danger of spreading airborne diseases to the pets. “We are very selective of who we allow to use the boarding kennels. The dogs must have had all of their vaccinations,” she said. The kennels are one of the few ways in which the SPCA raises funds to continue their work, she added.

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