The SPCA is saddened that over 23,000 animals came into its care last year. A spokesperson for the NGO says that in April this year, they had projected that they would admit a total of 20 350 unwanted and unloved animals.

 The SPCA Is saddened that over 23,000 animals came into their care last year

Spokesperson Belinda Abraham says the reality has been so much worse. She says a staggering 23,621 unwanted and unloved animals came into their care last year. Abraham says these pets are so much more than numbers. She says they are lives, surrendered, discarded and betrayed. Behind the number are stories of suffering, neglect, and desperation.

She added, “And every unwanted animal suffers—whether they are starving on the streets, neglected by their owners, or constantly delivering puppies or kittens into circumstances they should not be in – the truth is harsh – there are too many animals and not enough loving homes.”

The SPCA is a non-selective open admissions facility. The officials who work there bear the heavy responsibility of taking in every animal brought to our doors.

Unwanted and Unloved

She says, from the public who can no longer care for their pets to other welfare organisations—some self-proclaimed “no-kill” shelters—seeking to offload animals they deem unadoptable – the SPCA is and always has been the only refuge for the unwanted. Abrahams has called on all in the animal welfare sector to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with us to resolve the pet overpopulation crisis.

The Reality of Pet Overpopulation

The Spokesperson for the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, Belinda Abraham says they are the safety net for animals no one else will help. Abraham says they see an average of 65 victims of indiscriminate backyard breeding and irresponsible ownership every single day. She says it’s an endless cycle of suffering and it’s heart-breaking.