Inspectorate

Our inspectors are on call 24hrs a day, 7 days a week, confronting the horrors of animal cruelty. Every month we receive hundreds of reports of cruelty and neglect and every single one is investigated thoroughly – keeping the team very busy.

As if that is not enough, they also respond to calls for help from owners whose pets get trapped in drains, ceilings, between fences and under floorboards.

Apart from animal rescues, the Inspectorate is responsible for checks on pet shops, circuses, and security firms ... monitoring livestock transportation, abattoirs, hatcheries and private homes.

They don't only deal with dogs and cats; any case is investigated – whether the animals are domestic pets, farm livestock or wild animals – and whether they are pets, used in the security industry or for research and/or financial gain.

Our Inspectors enforce the Animals Protection Act (APA) no. 71 of 1962.  This legislation empowers our Inspectors to instigate legal action against abusive and neglectful owners.  If found guilty, the perpetrator could face up to 3 years imprisonment and/or a fine of R60 000.

Chained dogs lead miserable lives
Keeping a dog on a length of chain is one of the most frequent forms of cruelty seen by our inspectors. They have seen chains so short that the animal can barely lie down; dogs chained up in the hot sun with no water within reach; dogs whose necks have open wounds where chains have bitten deep.

Chaining a dog is not only cruel - it's against the law. If strictly necessary – where there is no yard where a dog can be safely contained – the only acceptable way is to use a long running chain when the dog is left alone but to let the animal run free for as long as possible each day.

People in disadvantaged areas often keep pets under adverse conditions and try to do their best for them. Our Senior Inspector Jacqui Dewar has investigated many cases where owners tie up their dogs for safety's sake. A big part of her job is educating owners about the basic needs of animals; about vaccination and other issues.

Cruelty in the poultry industry
More people are aware of the cruelty suffered by battery hens – thanks to an exposé on M-Net’s Carte Blanche.

As consumers, we can help bring an end to callous practices by our purchasing power. When we buy only free range eggs, we lessen the demand for battery eggs.

The abuse inherent in the battery system is no secret – which is why battery cages will be banned throughout Europe by 2012. A battery hen spends her life in a space smaller than an A4-size piece of paper. This – in addition to being debeaked as a chick and never feeling the sun or the earth beneath her feet. Would we be content to let a budgie; parrot; cat; horse; chimp or dog live like this?

If you suspect abuse to any animal, please contact our inspectors : inspectors@spcadbn.org.za