After posts emerged on Facebook regarding an adoption being declined, the Roodepoort Record visited the Roodepoort/ Krugersdorp SPCA to find out what their rules and procedures are for allowing an adoption to go through.
“It is my responsibility to ensure the animals in my care go to the best possible home,” said Mandi Cattanach, manager at the SPCA.
She explained they ask people to fill out an application form detailing their experiences with animals and how they cared for the animals. This includes whether they have had any pets before or currently have any pets at home and which pets they have.
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Applicants also have to answer if they are part of a rescue organisation or shelter, or whether or not they foster animals. She said that if someone fosters animals and other animals come onto the property, and one of them is not trained or tolerant of other animals, the animal acquired from the SPCA may be in danger.
An applicant also needs to state whether they plan on keeping the animal or if they are adopting for someone else. She noted if a person can not afford the adoption fees, how will they afford vet bills and good food for the animal? The same goes for transport, if a person can not come to collect the animal from the SPCA how will they get them to a vet if they need medical attention? The applicant will also be required to advise who their private vet is.
Cattanach noted they will then contact the vet and ask if the applicant is a client of theirs and their history of pets. This is to ensure they are responsible pet owners.
Applicants will also have to state whether they plan on chaining the dog or keeping it in a cage.
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The SPCA will then also check on social media to see if the person is in fact who they say they are. If a person then has connections with someone defaming the SPCA they will not accept the adoption or if the person defames the SPCA.
A person also has to provide proof of residence and ID, as well as note if they use animal welfare to ensure the animal can get vet care if something happens during the night when they are closed.
If a person adopts a breed they have never owned before they have to have a registered dog trainer to ensure the dog will be properly trained.
She added a person also can’t lie on the application forms as they check the facts. Once the adoption is then approved applicants have to sign an adoption contract, which is a legally binding document stating among other things, that the animal will not be caged or chained, proper food and vet care will be provided, and so forth.
There is also a meet and greet with the animal they wish to adopt, for power breeds there are two one-hour sessions, and for more docile breeds a half-hour session. All the people staying at the house have to come to meet the animal along with the other animals that stay on the property. She added all the animals on the property need to be sterilised.
“If you are a responsible pet owner, you will sterilise your dogs, no matter what dog it is. If you don’t sterilise your dog as far as my inspectors and I are concerned, you’re an irresponsible pet owner,” said Cattanach.
She mentioned an example, “If you have a female on your property, even with no other animals on the property, when she comes into season, every other dog in a 10km radius can smell her and will do everything they can to get out of their properties. This causes dogs to fight.”
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She explained these rules and regulations are not just made up by her, but all the inspectors at the SPCA would come together to decide whether or not to make a certain rule due to things they have encountered. She noted this is also how they decide on adoption, by sitting together, noting their concerns and the complaints that came up during pre-homing, and discussing the matter before making a decision.
Cattanach went on to explain the effects of an animal who suffers from kennel stress. She noted many people don’t realise animals have feelings and minds saying ‘they are living beings’. When an animal has been in a cage for a long time, their mind would start to go. They would do something to hurt themselves as this releases a happy endorphin in their brain, ‘just so they can escape the misery of being confined’. She noted signs of an animal suffering from kennel stress include chewing the kennel, chewing their own feet, licking themselves continuously, running in circles, and hitting their tails.
“The way I look at it, if a prisoner does something wrong, they get put into solitary confinement for punishment. Now we’re going to take an animal and put it in a kennel and keep it confined. Some keep it confined for three to seven years. That animal has been submitted to punishment for that length of time. Their mind does snap, that’s kennel stress,” explained Cattanach.
She noted all these rules are to ensure the animal is in the best possible home as she explained an animal is with you for life and it is your responsibility to care for them.
