Save animals from pet shops protest
NORWOOD - Concerned Norwood residents and Beauty Without Cruelty members demonstrated against what they called ‘The profit-based exploitation of animals sold in the pet shop trade’.

Concerned Norwood residents and Beauty Without Cruelty members demonstrated against what they called ‘The profit-based exploitation of animals sold in the pet shop trade’.
The protest took place in Grant Avenue where about 100 people walked up and down the road before they stood in front of one of the prominent pet shops in the area, Our Pets store. The protesters stood in front of the shop holding placards from 9am until it was closed at 4pm. A resident Jolene Chait stated that it was the sixth protest to take place against unethical breeding. “Pet shop owners source their animals from cruel places. They are kept in cages without any movement for long periods.” The protesters also handed out leaflets to motorists who responded with prolonged hooting.
Johannesburg’s Beauty Without Cruelty convener Doctor Smaragda Louw said the protests started in February. Louw said they also asked the government to introduce the law which was in place in Canada and other countries where the trade in animals from pet shops was banned. She said, “We are doing this for animals, they are kept in cages for years, they are sourced in cruel places, like here in this pet shop (Our Pets store) we found a report that a reptile was found with parasites. The owner also told us that he breeds his puppies, but that’s a lie.”
Chait added that the pet shops shouldn’t be selling the animals. “Animals shouldn’t be sold at all. There are thousands of homeless animals which are in shelters, people must adopt animals instead of buying from the pet shops.” She said the pet shop was involved in irresponsible animal trading.
Louw added that pet shops were stocking animals that have been bred by unethical breeders, puppy mills and backyard breeders.
She said more animals end up as bait in dog fighting, at rescue organisations and the SPCA, where they ultimately see their end. Louw added that this has become a crisis throughout South Africa, with shelters operating at capacity. She said her organisation urged people to adopt from shelters and rescue organisations.
Noeline van den Berg from Fur Free South Africa said the pet shop owners promoted sex in animals and made money from it. “As a result they make too many babies and they end up on the streets and some get killed. There is no need to buy from pet shops when there are thousands of animals that are homeless.”
Our Pets store owner Glen Winter, denied all the allegations against his shop. Winter said he bred some of his puppies and that he sourced his animals from reputable sources. “I keep my animals in a healthy environment, everything here is legal and I source some puppies from registered breeders. When we sell puppies we give the buyer a puppy care guide. SPCA was here to check on my reptiles and there were no parasites found in them.”
Details: Noeline van den Berg noelinevdb@owenkessel.com or Smaragda Louw smaragda@icon.co.za