THE cash-strapped Richards Bay SPCA says it faces closure if it does not receive adequate funding from the City of uMhlathuze.
This despite a Council resolution in January 2013 to acknowledge the SPCAs as service providers to the City and pay them accordingly for services rendered.
The animal organisations applied last year to be considered as service providers and no longer grant-in-aid beneficiaries after the municipality approved a reduced amount of R105 000 to be divided between the institutions in December 2012.
Operating the pounds on behalf of the City, the institutions were outraged at the R52 500 allocation for the 2012/13 financial year, which had drastically dropped from the R146 900 allocated the previous year.
Chairperson for the Richards Bay SPCA, Hazel Butcher said following the reduced donation, the organisation was given a further R166 000 for the next financial year.
‘Been given only a third of what should have been given has been difficult. We are battling at the moment. We are buying food for the animals and helping with strays. We pick up about 90 strays per month as well as donated dogs. The City’s nuisance inspectors were supposed to collect strays. Petrol and maintenance costs are high. Our open day brings in funds but it is not enough,’ said Butcher.
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Empangeni SPCA’s Cheryl Whittaker confirmed that there was no service agreement with the municipality.
‘There are so many municipalities not paying the SPCA so we cannot depend on handouts or else we will fold. We are there to prevent cruelty to animals and it is not our role to pick up stray animals. We have to do our own work and our shop at the Five Ways Mall is sustaining us. It is not easy but we have to survive,’ said Whittaker.
She said through the rural outreach project, about 50 dogs and cats were sterilised each month for indigent and unemployed community members.
‘We go out into rural areas and we cannot tell the communities we do not have any more money. Fuel costs amount to about R10 000 per month for both vehicles.’
uMhlathuze Municipal Manager Dr NJ Sibelo said the SPCA had not been enlisted as a service provider.
‘The department will look into the matter. The SPCA does not go through the normal supply chain process. Until that is done, the grant-in-aid funding will continue,’ said Dr Sibeko.
