Through the eyes of a Paws inspector: Breeders VS Shelter Adoptions

It is a cold winter’s morning when a call comes through via Facebook from concerned members of the public.

The neighbours have moved approximately a week ago they left their best friend behind. Firstly, you do not leave a friend behind, not a friend that is always there for you and your family, always waiting with a wagging tail, always willing to greet you with a smile… These friends don’t deserve this. The only thing that prevents that best friend from making you coffee and supper is the lack of an opposable thumb… But I digress…

An authorized officer is dispatched to the address. Low and behold, it appears that a beautiful bullterrier, was left behind. The property is in a filthy chaotic state. Lack of curtains and other signs confirm the  truth behind the report. A neighbour approaches the officer and confirms that there has been no movement and two neighbours have taken it upon themselves to look after this best friend. But the idea that one dog, one soul left alone on a property, day in and day out, with no one coming for her… The thought of the loneliness is enough to get one’s blood boiling. First Boiling point…

A notice is left in case there may be someone coming to feed and water the dog, at least. Just one more day is what keeps the thoughts at bay.

The next day and no contact by the owners confirms the worst suspicions. The officer of a welfare organization now has to spend valuable time to obtain a warrant from our busy courts in order to secure the best friend from an abandoned property. This is a difficult and laborious task, but non-the less a necessity and an almost daily task for animal welfare officers across the country.

A warrant is eventually granted and the joy of being able to rescue that soul from her situation is overwhelming. The little girl is brought into the shelter and a final notice, with a copy of the warrant is left just in case the ‘concerned owners’ return to the abandoned property, after all there appears to be some remembrance of a loving family that once occupied the home.

Another day goes by where the once loved pet has to spend in a shelter’s caring cages, not an ideal situation but at least she has some interaction with humans on a daily basis, a warm kennel, blankets and cooked food. Then the next day someone strolls into the shelter’s office, with only the warrant in hand.

The officer now has a chance to face those that abandoned their best friend, then the excuses come. Work emergencies, had to fix the other property first, someone else was left to care for their pet, how can this be?

They themselves are stunned at our findings and photos, the more evidence is placed before them, the more the excuses spew… But sufficient evidence is produced not to prosecute the owners as they did legitimately ask someone else to care for their pets, who either disappeared or just didn’t care, usually the household staff or gardener. The second Boiling point…

Then there is the fact that the dear friend has a micro-chip implanted. The chip details do not correspond with the owners claiming it. Red lights go on. The officer contacts the registered chip owner and eventually it is discovered that the pet is a highly bred bloodline from a Kennel Union of South Africa Registered kennel! Yes, the officer may just be able to get the breeder to now intervene, after all the dog was seized by law on a warrant and surely the Registered Breeder will take responsibility and be interested in what happens to his pet?

THE THIRD BOILING POINT! “No, I don’t care, I bred it like four years ago and I don’t have any further interest”… are the words that no animal welfare officer appreciates from a registered breeder. Then there’s more. The dog was initially sold (yes you sell stuff for profit as a breeder and discard any further interest in such dog;) to an elderly couple, whom the officer later discovers immigrated overseas and GAVE THE DOG FOR FREE TO A GOOD HOME to the current owners whom now had to please and explain to a shelter, which had to expend its limited resources to save it, why they abandoned the dog (property as the law regards pets as)

So, the shelters end up picking up the pieces. Some breeders just don’t care and don’t even support the work shelters do for THEIR offspring!

As I compose this blog 9 puppies, the third batch this week, was handed over to our shelter. This is the  sad reality shelters have to deal with. The result of lack of care by a breeder to sterilize pets by owners.