Tussle between pet owner, SPCA
The Boksburg SPCA doesn’t hesitate to put your animal to sleep for free, even against the owner's wishes.
This is according to Rozetta Vortsman, from Boksburg, who asked the Boksburg SPCA’s assistance with the medical treatment of her sick dog, about a month ago.
On her visit with her dog at the society, Vortsman submitted a letter from the SAPS which stated that she doesn’t have an income and, thus, has no money to pay for any treatment.
According to Maggie Mudd, Boksburg SPCA manager, Vortsman’s dog displayed symptoms of parvovirus (cat flu).
She told Mudd that her dog has not received any vaccinations to prevent him from getting ill to which Mudd allegedly replied that she cannot help Vortsman, but she can put her dog to sleep, free of charge.
Vortsman pleaded with Mudd not to do so.
“She (Mudd) said that I must give her R600 first and then she’ll sterilise and treat my dog.”
She asked Mudd whether she could pay the amount off to which she apparently answered no.
Vortsman and Mudd eventually came to an agreement: Vortsman’s dog received a vaccination as treatment and Mudd kept her ID which she’ll get back when she pays the R600.
Today, due to the treatment received from the Boksburg SPCA, Vortsman’s dog is strong and healthy.
However, she still needs to pay the outstanding money to receive her ID, for the treatment of her dog and for him to be sterilised.
“My point is, if you don’t have an income they (the SPCA) don’t help you. If you don’t pay for the treatment and sterilisation, they’ll rather put your animal to sleep for free,” said Vortsman.
According to Mudd, she explained to Vortsman the importance of having puppies vaccinated and that the society cannot treat animals for “nothing”.
“Because we are an SPCA and not the vet, if her (Vortsman’s) animal survived the treatment she would need to have the dog sterilised and that the cost of both would be R600,” said Mudd.
“Owners pay up front as we are used to having cases where the owners would pay the minimum for the treatment and then disappear into thin air with the dog before the animal was sterilised.”
She added that she would have suggested putting the dog humanely to sleep, as Vortsman had no money to treat him and that it was Vortsman who suggested that Mudd take her ID as proof that she would come back to pay for the treatment of the dog.
“The problem here is that we had an owner with a sick dog that has no immunity to fight any diseases – because of the lack of vaccinations – wanting to have her dog treated at no charge and taking no responsibility for her animal, but blaming the SPCA because we do not simply treat her dog for her.”
The Advertiser informed Mudd that the dog survived.
“(I am) pleased to hear that the treatment that she (Vortsman) received here at the Boksburg SPCA helped her dog and yes, she does need to pay for that medical treatment, as well as the compulsory sterilisation that she agreed to when she brought her dog into us in the first place,” said Mudd.
“She needs to come in with the R600 and we will book her dog in for sterilising, vaccinate it and return her ID.”
She mentioned that the SPCA does charge a fee of R250 to humanely euthanise an animal.
“It is not for free, although we did offer to humanely put her dog to sleep for free as she had no money.
“You would really think that Rozetta would be happy that her dog survived and that the SPA helped her with her pet, instead of complaining that she has to actually pay for medical treatment.”
