Will the REAL Animal Welfare please stand up?
When we built the Hopeful infrastructure and network, which integrates with the informal domestic animal network in South Africa, it was with the intention of providing a suite of facilities and services that could be utilised by animal welfare workers all over the country. These include:
- A Blog where individuals or organisations inform it’s readers of the latest news, where animal issues may be spoken about in articles and action alerts broadcast.
- A Virtual Online Shelter where pictures and details of homeless animals may be placed by Homers belonging to the Hopeful Network
- An Animal-Related Issues Forum, where issues pertinent to domestic animals in South Africa may be discussed.
- A Facebook Group where members may network and distribute action alerts and pictures of homeless animals.
- A presence on Twitter, the fastest-expanding social network on the Internet.
- A mailing list called the Animails in which homeless animals as well as lost and found animals are distributed by email.
These facilities are all FREE. The costs are borne by advertising and sponsors, and the work is all done by volunteers. Nobody makes a cent from this venture. It is the most comprehensive set of animal welfare facilities available on the Internet in South Africa.
I was informed this week that SPCA’s do not place their animals on the Internet. Apparently it is a policy of the NSPCA, the governing body of the SPCA in South Africa.
Considering that there are more than 4 590 000 Internet users in South Africa, and given that the demographic of Internet users is that they are people with jobs and disposable income, I wonder about the wisdom of this policy. In addition, this number is growing at an increasing rate, currently at approximately 10% per annum…
The Internet is fast becoming the most useful electronic medium in the world because of its interactive nature, and the development of applications for the Web far outstrips development in any other medium.
So why does the NSPCA perceive the Internet to be a problem?
Of course, there are many well-known websites where animals are marketed, and of course the manner in which they do so is not ideal, since many who use these services take no responsibility for the animals and do not look after the animals’ interests. We at Hopeful do not abandon the animals to an uncertain future. We ensure, through a set of policies and processes, that any animal coming into the Hopeful Network will be protected from a number of risks associated with placing animals in the public domain:
Hopeful Policies and Processes
- Only Homers registered with Hopeful and known to the Animal Welfare Community in South Africa can place animals on the Network. The vetting process is strict – those who are not known to us are placed in ‘apprenticeship’ to an existing Homer until such time as their trustworthiness may be established.
- Any existing owner’s name will never be published with the animals’ picture and details, thus ensuring that anyone wanting to enquire about the animal has to work through a Homer, thereby protecting the animal from unscrupulous people. Our Homers are streetwise, experienced people who know how to deal with home breeders and the like…
- Any animal placed on the Hopeful Network WILL have vaccinations and be sterilised before being homed. This is not negotiable since we believe that home breeding should be outlawed and vaccination made a legal requirement. In addition, a home check will be performed to ascertain the suitability of the environment for the specific animal. Our animals are also dewormed so that when the animal arrives at their new home, the new custodian has peace of mind, and the animal has a secure, loving and sustainable home.
- The process through which Homers are selected and animals placed on the Network, the Facebook group and distributed by email is bullet-proof. We have been operating for 7 months and have not had a single instance where any unscrupulous person has been able to infiltrate both the software security and the human-directed processes. Go on, try to place an animal on the Network. I am willing to guarantee you it cannot be done unless you get through a rigorous filtering system.
Given the above information, it is a little bewildering to understand the NSPCA policy, and we maintain that:
- The SPCA euthanases more animals than it homes, unless of course they can produce reliable, convincing evidence to the contrary? Have they become so dependent for income on being paid as the ‘pound’ that euthanasia is more viable than homing? Is death the new welfare? We believe it is in the public interest for them to publish their euthanasia statistics. We have a right to know.
- Most SPCAs do not have a homing process. There is no proactive procedure for finding homes for the animals. I was told recently that someone high up in the SPCA once said, “We are not a homing facility”. Surely that can’t be true? How come some branches do advertise in online media and others do not?
- The SPCA has huge overheads – buildings, staff, vehicles and other equipment to maintain, and seemingly considers those more important than trying to home more animals? Is it true that the branches are self-funding and receive no support from the NSPCA? The informal sector operates on a shoestring without any corporate funding and homes many more animals without buildings and salaried staff, and using their own equipment.
In addition, does the SPCA not have a home check policy? If that is the case, why not advertise on the Internet, since their staff will be making sure that the home is viable anyway? I cannot see a single justification for the SPCA policy. The needle is the easy way out – homing animals requires real work…
We agree there are some problems in the Informal Network. Not all welfare workers take the same care as those affiliated to Hopeful, and it is hoped that with time they will see that they effectively become part of the problem if they do not take the same care we do. We have set the benchmark – others will follow.
We have made the offer before and we make it again. Let us be the channel for those animals that end up behind the walls of the SPCA, and provide Hope.
A Light in their Darkness
Derek
Hopeful Homeless
@E. Phyffer please click on the links on the Hopeful infrastructure, read all the other Blog comments, look at our Forum and see exactly what we’re involved in. You’ll find that we’re doing exactly what you advocate.
We cannot ignore the Elephant in the Room merely because there are other more pressing issues. That would be illogical.
I think it is very irresponsible to make accusations like the ones you are making Derek. I agree that there are things that need to be investigated, there always are in Governments & NGO’S. However, why use this forum to do so? It’s your blog & you have freedom of speech, but you may have some power to influence people & your actions could take help away from animals.
Why are you attacking people on the ‘same side’ as you? Why not attack, breeders, pet stores, the laws of South Africa that don’t protect animals as entities? Why not focus your time & efforts on the animal’s welfare too?
“will the real animal welfare, please stand up”… & be judged too…
The simple sad fact is that there are FAR MORE ABANDONED ANIMALS than there are homes. We are trying to but a band-aid on a gaping wound! Without education & sterilization drives, this situation will never change & euthanasia will remain a burden upon some humans whilst others kill animals for fun. Would you rather those hundreds of thousands of animals had starved or bled to death? This may sound controversial but I would still support the SPCA if all they did was humanely euthanize abused animals. I will hold that kitten’s hand whilst she goes to a better place before I let her go off in someone’s car where I don’t know if she’ll get abused / neglected.
As humans we think we are Gods by creating (breeding) a life, but we cannot & do not face the consequences of our actions!
My understanding is that the majority of SPCA & other rescue centre staff get paid peanuts, it is my dream to work in such an organisation, but I have to earn a viable income. My point here is & I’m by no means demeaning anyone, but how many skilled, ambitious, driven, passionate, pro-active & successfull people do you know that can live on such a small salary? So many, many people that would love to get involved & do good in such an organisation as the SPCA do not because they can earn five times as much in other roles.
Once again though, it’s not the animal’s fault…. they are the ones that suffer & I hope you have done enough ‘good’ by the animals in this world to be forgiven for the damage you do in your words.
I hope you will take my words to heart. You could be doing alot better thins with your experience, skills & time than causing damage to other organisations that are also TRYING (not perfectly) to save animals from us (humans).
Hello Fellow Animal Carers
I am conducting research into the sale of animals (particularly pets!) on public internet sites, i.e. NOT specific sites which breeders have, particularly internet sites where the public are unable to know who the seller really is (i.e. cannot contact the seller) and to ask him/her questions beforehand and where sellers do not bother to ‘vet” the new owner and environment the animal will be in.
Please could you let me have a reply from you as to what your society/foundation’s view is on such sales on public internet sites. Do you condone them or do you think they are unethical ways to sell pets? Please could you let me have reasons for your viewpoint so I can include it in my research.
Many thanks in advance for your assistance.
Janet Longman
Grahamstown
Tel: 083-651-0352
Firstly, Dani, if my information is incorrect, which I KNOW is not the case, then all the NSPCA needs to do is publish the statistics that prove me wrong. The fact that they have not done so in spite of being challenged in this respect on several occasions should be of some concern to you.
The NSPCA has had a policy (I speak to many of the SPCA Managers) for some time that they do not allow aniumals to be advertised on the Internet. I have no idea why you found it necessary to accent the fact that they have a home check policy, since I stated “does the SPCA not have a home check policy?”
You claim that I am making irresponsible statements. I beg to differ. If an organisation and its leadership are guilty of unethical practices that harm the animals and cut corners for the sake of expedience, then I am being completely responsible – to the animals. And if that results in people not giving to the SPCA and giving money to welfare organisations who do the real job of rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming, I have done my job.
You need to realise that the NSPCA DOES receive government funding – firstly from the Lottery and secondly they are paid as the pound for every animal euthanased. Sort of gives them an incentive to kill, doesn’t it?
Your argument regarding the alternatives when there are more animals than homes is of course correct. Why then, after so many years as the dominant force in SA animal welfare, have the NSPCA STILL not managed to impact on the number of animals by getting legislation passed that stops home breeding? Why do the NSPCA not have sterilisation clinics set up? Why is it the informal animal welfare sector that does all this?
Lastly, you may want to go and do some research yourself before challenging me. Your comment illustrates both your lack of knowledge about the reality, as well as a naivete concerning the motives an intentions of the NSPCA. Believe me, I have not even started. I’m still being nice.
i find your article to be very unsubstantiated. None of your quotes have references, so how can you back up these claims? I don’t think it’s right to publically broadcast the so-called statistics for another organisation without having any proof or documentation. I kow the SPCA is NOT perfect. but animal in south africa would without a doubt be worse off without them. the SPCA DOES advertise and they DO put pictures of their animals up for adoption on their website. They also DO have what you call “a home check policy”. I have personally adopted an animal from the SPCA, which they vaccinated and sterilized. After applying to adopt, you pay an R80 deposit. THE SAME DAY an inspector came to my house and performed a thorough inspection of my home and other animals and thoroughly questioned me about caring for an animal. After the inspector left, they IMMEDIATELY phoned me back to tell me i had been approved and could collect my cat.
I am not questioning your right to an opinion or to freedom of speech. What I am saying is please please please don’t be irresponsible when making claims and statements sbout animal welfare. You influence people’s opinions and affect their decisions without providing thorough and unbiased information. The SPCA, which I know is not perfect, is an NGO and receive no government funding whatsoever. The ANIMALS rely solely on public donations and regardless of how you feel about the SPCA, you are negatively impacting the potential for public donations. This doesn’t affect the SPCA itself, it affects the number of animals they can keep and the number they have to euthanase. Exactly what your were complaining about! I also have to ask you, do you think the alternative is better for the animals that are euthanased – do you think it is better for them to spend their lives in cages if they can’t be adopted? Because realistically, it is not possible for every animal to be rehomed.
The SPCA need to answer to the public which got the right to know what happen to sponsor monies. I also lost trust in SPCA and rather support other animal welfare organazations such as PETS and FOUR PAWS. I guess the SPCA must win over the trust of the public again by doing the right thing. THanks for other Animals Welfare Organizations for helping animals. Please donate money to these organizations!
Much of the criticism directed at the NSPCA and SPCA is justified. As ex NSPCA Senior National Inspector and more than 10 years full-time employment in the SPCA my view is based on personal experience. The SPCA as a movement is in trouble. Visit the website: werdmulleranimalrescue to get more info. The donor public has a right to know answers to the following questions: What is the remuneration package of NSPCA CEO Marcelle Meredith? What are her qualifications? How many SPCAs in the country have Pound contracts with Municipalities receiving payment for killing animals? How many NSPCA staff left the NSPCA in the past 5 years out of a staff compliment of just over 30 and why? Why do certain SPCAs have millions in the bank while others are struggling to survive? Many questions remains unanswered and will probably remain so!
I agree. There are so many animals that desperately need homes that it is essential that we make use of all resources available, with the necessary precautions in place. The SPCA disappoints me profoundly. They are working to support the status quo rather than finding solutions, protecting the animals. It is so much easier to kill an animal than bother to do a home check and home them.
I have had such widely different experiences depending on which branch I approach. Some kill animals immediately without even being willing to register them or keep them overnight. I have had to beg people to keep animals overnight while I try to find people to home kittens. Another was willing to collect feral kittens and bottle feed them (a once off event I fear). There is such inconsistency that I have completely lost trust in the SPCA. When someone offers a solution, assistance in the form of homing, they should grab at the opportunity, discuss the details and make it work.