Owners have a duty to keep animals in healthy condition
Sick or injured animals cannot simply be left just because the owner cannot afford to have them medically treated - SPCA.
The Advertiser has received numerous complaints from the public, especially pensioners, that when they take in their pets at the Boksburg SPCA to be treated they are turned away.
According to Maggie Mudd, Boksburg SPCA manager, they can only assist pet owners who really cannot afford to have these procedures carried out at a private veterinary clinic, or hospital.
“Anyone who needs medical assistance from the SPCA for their pet has to fill in an alimony form. This even includes pensioners who receive a monthly grant.
“The alimony form is a type of means test that asks what is a person’s income and expenditure, and if there is any other source of income how many dependents there may be and what other animals the person may have.
“From this information, it is then possible for our staff to determine if a person can be assisted by the SPCA, or if they can actually afford to go to their local veterinary for the medical treatment that they are wanting,” Mudd said.
Mudd said the Boksburg SPCA was simply not in a financial position to cover medical costs of the public’s animals ourselves and this can, and has, caused issues in the past where owners have sick or injured animals and want to have them treated – but cannot afford to do so.
“It is important to remember that a pet is the owner’s responsibility and not the SPCAs.
“As sad as it is, if an owner cannot afford to treat their sick or injured pet, then the kindest thing is to have the animal humanely euthanased and the SPCA can assist with this,” she said.
Mudd said sick or injured animals cannot simply be left just because the owner cannot afford to have them medically treated.
This is a contravention of the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962 and charges of animal cruelty can be laid against the owners of animals who fail their pet in this manner.
“ Owning an animal is certainly a privileged and not just a right and careful thought should be given before a pet is either purchased or adopted as to whether this animal can be correctly looked after,” Mudd said.
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