February was a nightmare month, hot and traumatic. On one day there were seven incidents in different areas at almost the same time. People panicked about a large legawaan in Bellair. It was rescued and set free in a stream. Then a dog was rescued in Durban North. It had become thoroughly wedged between a swimming pool and a drain linked to the pump and would have drowned unless rescued promptly. A large brown dog stood in melted tar in Jacobs and couldn’t move. We finally got him out, but he had four black socks.

Despite our efforts, we were unable to remove this properly. Then we were called to Quarry East past Overport to try to rescue four puppies that had been confined in an area where there was a heap of tar which had melted in the heat. The owner arrived home to find the four little ones firmly stuck in the tar. They were no more than three weeks old, and the tar was about 10cm deep. It was supremely difficult to extricate them without injury. Andrew managed to get one pup and a lump of molten tar onto a spade. The mother was terrified and hovered anxiously. One poor little creature was so enveloped in molten tar that even its eyelids were stuck, and it had tar up its nostrils. It had to be put to sleep on the spot when we realised that there was no way we were going to get it out.

Then a Sacred Ibis was found wedged between a roof and gutter, and we discovered it had been in this plight for three days. It was dehydrated and emaciated and sadly it died in our vehicle before we could get it to the SPCA.

In Shallcross two dogs were left to guard a home, and the female dog gave birth to seven puppies. They were left on a hot tar surface when they were only days old. There was no supervision, and the little creatures were desperately trying to crawl to their mother. Neighbours began feeding and watering them and managed to get the phone number of the owner to come and open the locked property. He said he would be there in 15 minutes, but 20 minutes later Jacqui had had enough and took bolt cutters to the rusted lock. She made friends with the two adult dogs which were removed.

Down the driveway she found that all seven little puppies had died of the extreme heat. She alerted the owner to repair his fence and get alarms since his dogs had been removed and he would not be getting them back. He showed no emotion or regret.

A little dog was left in the back of a bakkie under a black plastic canopy in Durban North while the owner shopped. It was in distress from the heat. An outraged member of the public took the dog to a nearby vet. A dispute arose between the owner and the rescuer in the shopping centre. The owner’s ND number had been taken, and a written warning was issued.

An 84-year-old man who left a greyhound in a bakkie for over an hour in Stamford Hill was shocked when he saw the SPCA. The greyhound was panting but still coping. The owner was very upset and apologised profusely. The dog was under a canopy inside burglar bars on the back of the vehicle, but it was very hot and, despite the relative openness of the back of the vehicle, he was beginning to feel distress.
His owner had gone to have a spool developed and had waited an hour for it. He said the dog goes everywhere with him and is his constant and much-loved companion.

He assured us that a similar situation would not happen again and was distressed to discover that he had endangered his pet although it was under a canopy and not enclosed. People simply don’t realise how hot a vehicle can become – even under a canopy and with open sides. .... more reports »