Going about pet legislation backwards
Today I received a new comment on one of my previous blog posts, which discussed the new requirements now that pet limit by-laws are in force in Johannesburg. I think it merits some discussion, not in order to vilify the person who posted this comment but because it highlights how the current legal climate in this country fails to serve animals. It is also a potent indicator of the veracity of what I, and others, have been saying with regard to pet limit by-laws.
The comment read as follows:
‘Hi there
I have 7 kittens of varying ages and 2 adult cats that I need to get rid of. We have just been overwhelmed by them breeding etc. What is the situation with the SPCA – I am more than happy to take them to the SPCA? But is there a charge for them to accept them??’
Firstly this shows clearly that pet limit by-laws do indeed serve as inducement for people to get rid of their animals.
Secondly it shines a spotlight both on what is not being done and the way forward. Extensive public education with regard to our pet overpopulation crisis is required, along with guidelines for how each pet owner can ensure that they do not contribute to the problem. Free sterilisation, well advertised and widely available, must be provided.
Had such an option been available to this pet owner it may be that no cats would be seeking new homes, and even if some still needed to be rehomed, two sterilised cats looking for new homes is much preferable to nine cats all needing sterilising and homing. Especially if one considers that this is not an isolated case, but applies to hundreds of thousands of animals across the country, it is easy to see how important that difference in numbers is.
This can only be achieved with government support and funding. So to the Johannesburg City Council, as well as local and provincial government across the country; could you get with the programme and instead of ensuring that there are less homes for needy animals do something positive towards ensuring there are less needy animals wanting homes?
