Poodle trial postponed to February

The animal abuse case involving the confiscation of 45 poodles by the Benoni SPCA on January 31, 2019, has been postponed to February 22.

Vicky Finnemore, who was the Benoni SPCA manager at the time of the confiscation, said the case was meant to proceed on January 19.

She explained that the lawyer for the breeders accused of the animal abuse is claiming the warrant issued by the Benoni magistrate for the confiscation was invalid and as the magistrate was on leave, the case was again postponed.

The majority of the confiscated dogs have been at the Benoni SPCA since the seizure.

Martine Hampson, the acting manager at the Benoni SPCA, said 30 of the dogs are still in the care of the SPCA.

“We are concerned they have been confined to kennels for a prolonged period and our hope is that the breeders will surrender them to us so that we can put them up for adoption,” she said.

Having the poodles at the SPCA for two years has also taken a toll on the organisation’s finances, as 20 per cent of the capacity of their premises is used to house the animals.

“The dogs are being housed in our boarding kennels, so we can’t use these at the moment to generate an income.

The boarding can usually bring in about R3 000 a month.”

Hampson added that they spend over R8 000 a month on veterinary bills, grooming and food for the 30 poodles in their care.

Regarding kennel stress, Hampson said these are not the ideal conditions for the poodles to be staying in.

However, they are now in much better condition than they were two years ago.

“We have a dedicated volunteer who spends a lot of time with the poodles,” she explained.

“He takes them for walks and plays games with them to stimulate their muscles.

“The animals are getting old in the kennels and all we want is for them to have a second chance at living their lives.”

Hampson added that despite limited fund-raising events due to lockdown, generous donations from the public and businesses have enabled them to continue caring for the dogs.

“We do not turn any animal in need away and will continue to take a stand against cruelty to animals, and will continue fighting for these dogs,” she concluded.

Anyone who would like to donate towards the welfare of the confiscated poodles can contact the Benoni SPCA on 011 894 2814.

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