Pet owner unhappy over SPCA euthanasia policy
I thought they would be fine as they were being looked after.
An animal owner is upset after Toti SPCA euthanased her pets after she put them up for adoption.
Nici van der Merwe moved into a smaller residence where the owner did not allow pets.
“On Friday I couldn’t find anywhere else for them to go, so I took my cat and dog to the SPCA to put them up for adoption,” she said. “I thought the SPCA would try and relocate them.”
When Nici returned home, her and her young daughter were very emotional. “On Saturday morning I spoke to the owner and he relented and said if it’s a small dog and only one cat, I can keep them.
I tried to contact the SPCA, but it was after 1pm and they were already closed. I phoned the emergency number and explained the situation to the man who answered and said I will collect them first thing Monday morning.
I thought they would be fine as they were being looked after and fed and there was nothing I could do.”
However, the SPCA took the decision to euthanase both animals on Friday.
“On Monday I was there at 7am and waited for them to open. I was willing to pay for their board and even adopt them if I had to,” said Nici.
“But the woman told me they had both been put down. I can’t understand it. Why were they not given any chance to be adopted? Why should people even take animals to the SPCA?
I am so upset. It shouldn’t work like that. There should be a waiting period. Why didn’t they at least phone me?
People need to know that if they take animals to the SPCA, they won’t be there for long.
I never thought in my wildest dreams they would be euthanased so quickly, with no waiting period.”
Toti SPCA manager, Tracey Girling expressed sympathy to Nici being understandably upset, but explained the animal organisation’s policy when it comes to adoption and euthanasia.
“Everyone surrendering an animal to the SPCA has to fill out an admission form and they are asked to read the statement of surrender and sign the form,” said Tracey.
“It is clearly explained to them that the animals are now the property of the SPCA and if the animals are adoptable, then we try our very best.”
The owners no longer have any claim to the animals once the form has been signed and this is explained to them by the reception staff.
“This is an extremely busy period for Toti SPCA, as the number of animals being surrendered and strays coming in due to fireworks is very high. Therefore I have to be a lot stricter on what animals we can keep and what animals can go up for adoption. Unfortunately space is also an issue for us.
The adoption rate on older cats is very poor, so a decision was made immediately to euthanase the eight-month-old cat.
Nici was not sure on the age of the dog. She said she had taken him over from somebody else and had him for about two years. On inspection of the teeth and so on, we put him at about three-and-a-half to four years.
As the day progressed, he showed signs of depression and was not eating at all, so I made a very difficult decision to euthanase him. To keep a depressed, older animal in a kennel is not fair and he would not be happy on the adoption block and may even find it difficult to adapt into another home.”
Nici said she could not understand why the SPCA said ‘Fluffy’ was upset, as he was used to being in a cage whenever he went to the parlour.
“This part of our job is the difficult side, as none of us take pleasure in putting any animal to sleep, except if it is severely injured,” said Tracey.
“I am sorry that Nici could not take her animals with, but at the end of the day it is not the SPCA’s fault.”
