Animal handler Nomathembu Gumede and volunteer Rachel Rabie at the Durban and Pietermaritzburg branch of the Animal Anti-Cruelty League, demonstrate what a little love and care does for stray animals as they cuddle some of the 44 cats housed there. | VAL ADAMSON
Durban — If you are in Hammarsdale on Sunday (today) and you come across a group of people at 53 Artesia Avenue, D657 Road, join them as they go on a walk to highlight animal cruelty.
With April being Animal Anti-Cruelty Awareness month, the Animal Anti-Cruelty League (AACL) is calling for awareness and support.
The AACL Durban and Pietermaritzburg branch, which takes care of 44 stray cats and 34 stray dogs brought in by members of the public or rescued from cruel and unsafe environments, is hosting its Dog Walk and Market.
The league is appealing to the public, businesses and corporates to donate to the organisation to support the work they do for animals that are unable to fight for themselves. David Rogers, the general manager of the AACL said that their biggest challenge was funding.
“We have the capacity to do more, but without funding the costs of veterinary care, transport, pet food etc. make it difficult to take on more. With more funding, we can buy more vehicles to help transport animals (a major requirement in the township environment), get more help from vets and therefore deal with more animals needing help such as sterilisation, vaccination, dealing with injuries or sickness or general health care, provide better feeding and medication.”
He said they also needed to build more facilities to house animals needing rehabilitation, apart from their efforts in promoting the adoption of animals. They spend more time on their educational efforts to help people understand how to better look after their own animals. Rogers also urged the public to start by joining the walk.
“Please come and visit us today (Sunday), enjoy the day with your family and friends, and ask to be shown around our facilities so that you can better understand the work that we do. Bring your own dog/s to enjoy the walk, or walk one of our adoption dogs – they love to meet new people and to get to enjoy some exercise out in the open,” he said.
Rogers advised pet owners to take good care of their pets.
“Get them checked and vaccinated at least every two years, or annually if possible. Make sure that they have access to clean water and regular meals with the best food you can afford (most vets and pet food shops can help you with information about your options). Make sure that they feel safe and have a comfortable bed to sleep on that provides shelter from rain and sun,” he said.
Rogers encouraged pet owners to engage with their pets as often as possible, by taking them for walks or playing with them and that this interaction built a bond between owner and pet and was healthy for both parties.
“Where you witness other people not treating their animals well, try to engage with them to show them how they can improve, or refer them to other people who can help. If the animal is being abused and is in danger of being physically or mentally harmed, it is usually difficult to get such an owner to change their behaviour, so it may be necessary to call in a suitable authority to deal with the situation, such as the SPCA, the AACL or the SAPS,” he said.
There is a R60 entry fee which includes the walk, a market with crafts, clothes, second-hand goods, food, and fun activities for children. (Children under 12 are free)
Sunday Tribune
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