All is not well, with allegations of dogs and cats being put down in the name of cost savings and efficiency at the Ladysmith Animal Anti-Cruelty League (AACL).

The mass euthanasia of all cats, kittens, dogs and puppies has sparked outrage from people in the know.

‘Put to sleep’ despite community support for kennels

For most residents, there is a well-founded belief that the AACL is a place where animals are protected and safely housed until they find their new ‘forever’ homes. Sadly, however, nothing could be further from the truth. Literally dozens of animals have been systematically euthanised, despite there being nothing wrong with some of them. This while the shelter brags that it is well supported by the community with plenty of food.

“I would like to highlight the strong support the organisation continues to receive from the Ladysmith community. Notably, during this committee’s tenure, no funds have been required for the purchase of dog or cat food due to generous donations from the public and local schools,” said chairman Mike Suddaby.

Resignations due to new policy

Ladysmith AACL has had two staff resignations following the mass euthanasia of several reportedly healthy animals. The euthanasia policy recently adopted by Ladysmith AACL allows for an animal taken in to be put down after seven days if it is not adopted within that time.

Members of the Ladysmith community are vexed that the kennels at the animal shelter, once alive with wagging tails and well-kept animals, are now almost completely empty following the mass euthanasia of healthy animals since December.

In the past

In the past, dogs and cats were monitored for up to two weeks for health or behavioural issues before being taken to the vet for an assessment to determine the animal’s chances of survival. A decision was then made on whether the animal would return to the kennels for adoption or be put down, based on the vet’s assessment.
However, this is no longer the case, according to reliable sources who spoke under condition of anonymity.

Sources allege that AACL staff were traumatised when an instruction came from the organisation’s committee to euthanise all of the dogs and cats at the shelter, including five healthy, ‘perfectly adoptable’ puppies between the ages of three and eight months old.

It is further alleged that the new policy allows for any animal that is surrendered to the shelter to be euthanised right away unless the owner pays a surrender fee of R350, as well as a seven-day kennel fee of R625. Owners are required to pay a boarding fee of R125 for each additional day the animal remains at the kennels.

According to AACL chairman Michael Suddaby, “The surrender policy stipulates that pet owners wishing for their animals to be re-homed must retain them in the boarding section until suitable adoption occurs, with associated costs borne by the owner. Provision is made for indigent individuals through an application process.”

Prior to the new policy being put in place, owners were asked to make a donation of any amount they could afford towards the animal’s care, and the animals were only euthanised either due to overcrowding or if the animal demonstrated serious health or behavioural issues that could not be corrected.

Ladysmith AACL has 32 kennels, of which 31 are operational, and can accommodate 40 dogs. The shelter’s food stores are well-stocked due to generous donations from the community.

Since the new policy was adopted, animal cruelty cases are only attended to if the person who reports it first pays a call-out fee of R250 if no travel is required; R370 if travel is required within a 10km radius of the shelter; and an additional R9.95 per kilometre if travel is required outside a 10km radius.

No longer dealing with cruelty cases

However, the AACL will no longer be responding to cruelty cases at all in the near future. Since the resignation of the inspector, the committee has only advertised a vacant post for a kennel supervisor, not an inspector. This means that the organisation will not be able to attend to animal cruelty cases at all once the inspector’s resignation comes into effect mid-April, since the kennel supervisor will not have the required certifications of an inspector. Suddaby offered clarity on this, saying, “As AACL Ladysmith does not currently have an inspector with peace officer status, it is not authorised to attend cruelty cases or conduct rescues, as the Animal Protection Act restricts the enforcement to police officials and authorised SPCA inspectors. Such matters are therefore referred to Public Safety or the SAPS.”

Ladysmith AACL is the only animal shelter based in Ladysmith.

Responding to a media enquiry from the Northern Natal News, Suddaby confirmed that four adult dogs, five puppies and 19 cats were euthanised three weeks ago. According to Suddaby, the animals had been confined in the kennels since December and their prospects for re-homing were assessed as extremely poor.

“Prolonged confinement, particularly for stray animals, is not considered humane, regardless of adequate feeding. On this basis, euthanasia was deemed the most appropriate course of action,” said Suddaby.

“Similarly, the puppies were assessed as having little to no likelihood of adoption. With respect to the 19 cats that were euthanised, this action was taken on the recommendation of a veterinarian due to illness (snuffles). The cattery was closed and disinfected the following day as a precautionary measure,” explained Suddaby. Snuffles is a feline upper respiratory infection which is highly contagious, caused by feline herpesvirus or calicivirus. Symptoms include chronic sneezing, nasal discharge, conjunctivitis and mouth ulcers. While mild cases resolve in five to 10 days, severe cases can last weeks.

Suddaby is part of the AACL’s incoming committee that was elected at the organisation’s annual general meeting on September 30, 2025, and commenced its duties on October 1. “At that time, the committee assumed responsibility for a facility operating beyond its capacity, with 99 animals in the kennels,” said Suddaby.

Sources indicated that, at the time of publishing, there are currently four dogs remaining in the kennels and a few kittens in the cattery. According to Suddaby, the new committee observed an absence of formal policies and organisational structures, and subsequently established a management committee to support staff in the day-to-day operation of the shelter. 13 policies were developed and approved by the committee on December 11, including its euthanasia policy.

Suddaby explained that the euthanasia policy was developed with guidance from the AACL’s Johannesburg branch.

On its official website, the AACL states that it, “… is opposed to the euthanasia of fit and healthy animals, but accepts that humane destruction may at times be necessary,” and that it, “… accepts with great reluctance that, in the case of overcrowding or stray animals, it may be necessary to humanely destroy fit and healthy animals because good homes cannot be found for them.”

The AACL goes on to explain that, as an independent welfare organisation, it is able to keep animals for an indefinite period during which every effort is made towards successfully re-homing each and every animal into a loving new home.

It further lists the factors under which the decision to euthanise is taken:

– An innate aggression is evident in an animal and even after every effort has been made to alternate the kennelling for a more conducive fit, the animal remains aggressive and initiates fights;

– The animal behaviourist on staff has, after assessment, worked on problem areas in one-on one-sessions, and the animal’s behaviour cannot be modified;

– There is no longer any quality of life – the animal is not coping with kennel life and continually exhibits signs in support of this;

– The health of the animal/s is such that there is little or no chance of recovery, or prolonged/extended treatment would be too costly, or if pathology is infectious in nature;

– Overcrowding (periodic, i.e. Xmas, Easter, etc, when animals are more likely to be abandoned).

Suddaby points out that the organisation is not strictly pro-life, as does the AACL on its website. However, members of the Ladysmith community despair that in most of the cases that euthanasia was carried out by the new committee in the past two months, the factors under which euthanasia is acceptable by the AACL’s own standards were not present.

So, the mass euthanasia is either wrong or the only way for the shelter to survive – you be the judge.

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