Four Paws gives Tazz a new life
FOURWAYS - Tazz is a female dog who was knocked over by a taxi in Diepsloot two weeks ago and was left on the roadside to die.
Four Paws Animal Shelter is an animal welfare organisation based in Fourways which found Tazz and rushed her to their vet, Dr Grant Craig.
This is a situation that Jami-Leigh Cloete, a spokesperson for Four Paws, sees all too often.
“We deal with abused and abandoned animals here at Four Paws… the problem in the townships is that there are a lot of stray dogs, and the taxi drivers don’t consider these dogs’ lives to be valuable,” said Cloete.
On arrival, Craig confirmed that Tazz had a broken pelvis along with spinal injuries after extensive examination. There wasn’t much to be done aside from giving Tazz medication and sending her off to a foster home, where she is currently being rehabilitated.
Tazz’s plight has put a spotlight on the need for people to take adoption seriously when looking at getting pets. Cloete believes that adoption benefits everybody involved in the process. “Adoption provides animals with a family, and gives [Four Paws] more space to take in more abused and neglected animals,” she said.
“This is important for us as a pro-life shelter, because we have a certain limit on the number of animals we can shelter.”
Cloete explained that adoption becomes even more important when considering what she calls ‘non-pro life’ shelters such as the SPCA. “When you adopt from a non pro-life shelter like the SPCA you are literally saving a life.”
If an animal is not adopted from a pro-life shelter and that shelter runs out of space, then they are faced with the dilemma of being obligated to shelter any animal that comes to their doorstep. The only way for these shelters to have enough room for every single animal that comes to them is to practice euthanasia.
When asked about buying, Cloete showed criticised pet shops. “There are two types of pet shops: those who sell pets and pet accessories and those which sell just accessories.”
She was adamant that the majority of pet shops which sell animals source their pets from backyard breeders. “These breeders breed only for money, the breeding pair are most often kept in filthy conditions and are used as breeding machines.
“As for the pups, you’re looking at sick animals who have had no disease control whatsoever. This also applies to most private breeders found on the internet,” Cloete explained.
She emphasised that Four Paws isn’t against breeding, so long as the correct checks and balances are observed. “Qualified, professional breeders know what they are doing and know how to breed healthy animals.”
As for Tazz, she will soon need a loving home to take her out of foster care and into a brighter future. She will be ready for adoption in about a month’s time, depending on the level of care the new owner will be willing to provide.
Have you adopted your pet or been through the process of adoption before? Tell us about your experiences on the Fourways Review Facebook page
