Over 100 years of 'speaking for animals'

The first Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was founded in England in 1824. Having the support of the crown, it was called the “Royal” society (RSPCA) and continues to be called so in many of Britain’s former colonies, like Australia and New Zealand. Over the years, the SPCA has spread across the globe; almost every country in the world now has an SPCA.

The Durban & Coast SPCA was founded over 100 years ago in 1897 – and the battle to abolish cruelty still rages today. Despite facing insurmountable odds through many difficult years, our SPCA has gone from strength to strength and become a dynamic, recognised body, considered to be the foremost authority on animal welfare. 

The SPCA is far more than an animal adoption society and a humanitarian agency which has taken on the painful duty of euthanasing unwanted animals. It plays a humanising role in society, educating people – especially children – about the rights of all living creatures, working for better legal protection for animals and severer penalties for lawbreakers. 

Our education programme was formally inaugurated in the second half of 2004. Kindness to animals begins at home. Sometimes – including in privileged homes – it is lacking. Children can be thoughtlessly cruel, but when they are given a different view of animals, most realise that treating them thoughtlessly or cruelly is unacceptable.

Organisations like ours have limited facilities, and we show the children that they are our ears and eyes in the community and that they have an important role to play.