DURBAN - Former Lower South Coast SPCA (LSC SPCA) chairperson Scott Kvalsvig rips through the National Council of SPCA (NSPCA) after accusing him of contravening the Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the Animals Protection Act.
Last week the NSPCA issued a statement and said they found a mistreated cow when they visited Kvalsvig’s farm.
Kvalsvig went through the statement with a fine-tooth comb and responded to each allegation.
He said there were contraventions. His farm was used by SPCA operations manager Mike Davis as an alternative holding facility for large farm animals. Davis omitted to follow pound procedures, where the animals needed to be auctioned off. He also did not follow the procedure whereby animals needed to be castrated before leaving the premises of the SPCA to ensure breeding did not occur. Protocol was followed in the castration of the pigs, why not the calves which came to the farm together with the pigs?
“I state categorically that no animal on my farm was ever treated in a cruel manner. Mahle Mpuku, agricultural graduate, doing his practical internship is in charge of the cattle’s welfare and attest to the good health of the animals in his care.”
“These are fabrications by the NSPCA, tailored to suit their own agenda.”
Kvalsvig said the donkeys and cattle were never adopted by him, they were delivered to his farm and he never signed an adoption contract.
“Again, Davis off-loaded them (cattle and donkeys) on my property as he didn’t want them anymore,” Kvalsvig said.
“The donkeys were sent to my farm for safekeeping until they were claimed, as earlier five horses had to be shot at the SPCA because there was no grazing and they ate bessies. Vice chair and I had told Mike (Davis) on numerous occasions to make a plan with the horses, but he ignored it. He was also approached by an individual who has experience with horses to uplift them. When the horses got sick, we had to euthanise them.”
He said Davis ignored phone calls while he, the vice chair and crying staff members witnessed the deaths of the horses because Davis did not find a suitable home for them.
Also no notices were issued to him, instead, he was given two warnings:
Warning No. 1 – 07.01.21
Wroeline Rabie (NSPCA Inspector) and Jacob Maduma (LSC SPCA) attended the property to carry out an inspection and noted:
- Provide treatment for the mother cow for an eye infection which had already been administered - Actioned
- To clean and maintain the animals living area (they roam the farm freely) - Actioned
- To provide pest/fly control – Actioned
“No warning had been given to myself to have the two bull calves castrated. This should have been noted on the warning/inspection and I would have been able to rectify immediately,” he said.
Warning No. 2 – 12.01.21
Rabie and Maduma attended the property to carry out a further inspection and noted the following:
- One cow was down with three-day leg stiffness and treatment had been administered.
“They euthanised my beautiful cow as they claimed the animal was in pain. A vet was scheduled to come to the property and yet they still made the decision to euthanise. They would not wait for the scheduled vet appointment and wanted “immediate veterinary attention”.
“The warrant wasn’t valid, it was the wrong property description as well as the affidavit to obtain the warrant was incorrect. Also, a warrant is only issued in the case where the owner denies the SPCA (permission) to enter his property. Access to my property was never denied,” Kvalsvig said.
He said the cow had three-day leg stiffness and he was in contact with the vet, who agreed with his treatment until the vet could get to the farm. The cow was eating and drinking water and had sufficient food.
“The vet was called the same day that we realised the cow required attention. It is also noteworthy to record that I grew up on a farm and have successfully farmed for over 30 years. I believe I have more knowledge and experience with farm animals than the inspectors who visited my farm,” Kvalsvig said.
The NSPCA said the farm manager had pleaded to have the cow treated but was ignored.
“The farm manager denies ever having made the statement claimed and is horrified by this gross inaccuracy,” Kvalsvig said.
He said inspector Rabie should have called the vet before making the decision to murder one of the cows. He would have advised her that it is three-day leg stiffness and that he was currently treating other cows in the area with the same condition.
“The cow wasn’t in any pain and inspector Rabie doesn’t have the qualifications to make such a decision, in fact she wasn't even authorised in our area of jurisdiction to act on a section 5.”
“This is a narrative that the SPCA wants to use as they did not find anything wrong with the financials, the original reason the vice chair (Carla Steenkamp) and I were removed from the committee.”
Kvalsvig said the additional warnings that were issued regarding the dirty conditions the bushpigs lived in were “complete fabrications” but only two warnings were issued and there were no external parasites. The vet report will support his statement.
He said his farm was organic and his animals were free roaming. He informed inspector Rabie that the pigs were in the banana fields and she was welcome to go and look for them.
“They are not stolen – yet another fabrication.”
The NSPCA had said LSC SPCA staff had placed on record that the former chair and vice chair threatened them with dismissal when trying to do what was right.
Kvalsvig said: “Complete nonsense, it is against the law to threaten staff with dismissal. In fact staff would approach the vice chair and I for help as they were in fear of Mike Davis. In his resignation letter, he makes reference to the fact that the staff would rather come to us than to him. We have always shown care and compassion to the staff at the SPCA. When a staff member tested positive for drugs we arranged for rehabilitation for her at no cost to her and supported her financially during this time. Also, loaned her a vehicle for a few years.”
The NSPCA also said the two chairperson reinstated an ex-employee who was previously found guilty of animal cruelty and theft by the disciplinary board of the LSC SPCA.
Kvalsvig said the outcome of the disciplinary was reviewed by an attorney, and in his letter he stated that the disciplinary finding was incorrect. Mr Chetty did nothing wrong and is an asset to the society. The decision to reinstate was made by the full committee. It should be noted that Davis stated that he ‘doesn't trust k*****s'. By this paragraph I fear that Mr Chetty may be released from his post. It must also be noted that Lauren Gianni was also demoted from field officer by NSPCA, Vonnie Strachan, for animal cruelty – yet NSPCA have once again promoted/reinstated her to field officer.
Regarding investigations into the running of LSC SPCA, Kvalsvig said everything they did was for the animals. The NSPCA will not find anything and if they do, it would be fabricated. The employees were in fear of the NSPCA and will co-operate.
He said when they became volunteers at the SPCA, they walked into a society that was under a section 11.
“We have turned the SPCA around in its entirety and even managed to have a healthy bank balance, something which was non-existent in the previous chair’s time at the SPCA.”
“This is unfortunately a conspiracy of a few staff members and an ex-committee member,” Kvalsvig said.
He added that he had all the necessary documentation to confirm all he stated.
Daily News