What to do if you find a stray animal
"It’s against the law to keep, re-home or foster someone else’s pet without notifying the SPCA or trying to find the owner." - Kloof and Highway SPCA.
THE Kloof and Highway SPCA takes in nearly 350 stray animals each month and with its first reported case of rabies, it urges residents to be aware of what to do should they find an abandoned animal.
The marketing manager for the NPO, Lisa Mörck, said these stray animal cases are overseen by its small team of dedicated inspectors, as well as kind and concerned people from the Highway community. “All animals, strays and unwanted are scanned for a microchip when they are admitted to our SPCA.
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“Often we hear of people who find a stray animal and keep it, or try re-home it or find foster care for it immediately. Although these people mean well, this may result in an owner never finding their beloved pet. It must be remembered that it’s against the law to keep, re-home or foster someone else’s pet without notifying the SPCA or trying to find the owner,” said Mörck.
It is very important to firstly ascertain if you are able to safely approach the animal without endangering yourself or the animal in the process.
“Remember that stray animals may be scared and frightened and when approached, could flee into oncoming traffic causing an accident or injuring themselves, you and other members of the public,” added Mörck.
If you are able to approach the animal, try to safely secure it. If it is a dog, use a lead, material, belt or rope to create a makeshift lead. If it is a cat/kitten or bird, use a secure basket or box with adequate ventilation. Place a blanket or towel over the basket or cage as this can help a cat or other animals feel less stressed.
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“If you are able to, bring the animal to the Kloof and Highway SPCA or contact us directly and an inspector will respond as soon as possible. If you are unable to safely approach the animal try and keep it in sight and contact the SPCA immediately, providing as much detail as possible about the location of the animal, a description of the animal, if it is injured or in pain, as well as your contact details,” said Mörck.
“If you are able to safely and securely confine the stray animal in an enclosed area or fenced-off property, this would help. Remember that if there are other pets or animals on the property, keep them inside the house, in a garage or in a separate part of the garden to prevent any fighting or aggressive behaviour,” she said.
Once the animal is confined and secured, bring the animal to the Kloof and Highway SPCA.
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