This may seem like a word game but there is a big difference.
All cats and dogs that are adopted from an SPCA will be sterilised to prevent them from either having (or siring) any unwanted litters.
READ HERE: Adopters must abide by SPCA sterilisation policy
They will be vaccinated to safeguard them from contracting diseases such as distemper or parvo-virus, and dewormed to assist in the elimination of internal parasites. They are also dipped to ensure there are no external parasites. They will receive some form of identification (such as a micro-chip or ID disc). This is what prospective owners pay for whenever they adopt an animal from an SPCA. The actual animal is free.
If you consider that the sterilisation, vaccination, food, deworming and grooming/dipping costs R2,025 per dog and the SPCA adoption fee is R100 for a property check and R800 for adoption, the fee of R900 for an adoption is still being subsidised by the SPCA.
READ ALSO: Lottery cuts SPCA animal welfare funding
Certainly if we start to look at the prices charged by backyard breeders who sell animals on the internet, it again becomes clear what good value the SPCA offers.
It is important to remember that backyard breeders are generally not concerned where their puppies or kittens end up, nor do they usually ensure that the animal has a clean bill of health.
The SPCA only has to count the number of times it is contacted by brokenhearted owners who have bought an animal only to have it fall ill and even die within a short time of purchase due to illness or disease. Owners have been known to run up high veterinary bills, trying to treat a sick pup or kitten they have only just bought. SPCAs on the other hand do their utmost best to home healthy animals and if the animal does fall ill within the first 14 days of adoption, they will treat the animal at their own cost. This unfortunately does not cover an animal which has been injured through the new owner’s neglect such as an animal that is run over, for example due to a gate being left open.
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