{"id":52159,"date":"2020-08-06T06:04:45","date_gmt":"2020-08-06T04:04:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/joint-effort-to-address-challenges-with-stray-domestic-animals-20200805-2\/"},"modified":"2020-08-06T06:04:45","modified_gmt":"2020-08-06T04:04:45","slug":"joint-effort-to-address-challenges-with-stray-domestic-animals-20200805-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/joint-effort-to-address-challenges-with-stray-domestic-animals-20200805-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Joint effort to address challenges with stray domestic animals"},"content":{"rendered":"

KOUGA residents have been asked to report problems related to stray or neglected domestic animals to the municipal call centre. <\/p>\n

Kouga Community Services Portfolio Councillor, Daniel Benson, said the municipality was streamlining its relationship with the local animal welfare organisations. <\/p>\n

\u201cThese organisations do an amazing job with limited resources. The municipality recently had a meeting with them to determine how we can improve our support to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said a key challenge that had been identified, was the vast distances these organisations sometimes had to travel to address animal-related complaints. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis often happens because people phone the organisations directly even when they are not based in the area where the problem is. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis then also leads to unhappiness where animals have owners, as they have to travel far to collect their animals. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe would, therefore, like to ask residents to report concerns about stray or neglected domestic animals to the municipal call centre. They will then alert the organisation that works in that area,\u201d Benson said.<\/p>\n

He said key roleplayers were the SPCA Assisi in Humansdorp, Jeffreys Bay Animal Rescue Services, and St Francis Animal Rescue. <\/p>\n

He said residents were further asked to refrain from feeding stray animals, especially in the CBD areas. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis draws stray animals, which then starts posing a safety and health risk to people as well as to the animals.\u201d<\/p>\n

He encouraged those that want to help feed stray animals to donate food to the recognised animal welfare organisations and to get involved.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey know where the need is and will ensure that the food gets to where it is needed most.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said that the municipality had established the Kouga Animal Management Committee and was busy reviewing the related policies and bylaws to support roleplayers\u2019 efforts. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis will go hand in hand with a public awareness campaign to help communities understand the role played by the various role players\u201d. <\/p>\n

\u201cFor example, people often phone animal welfare organisations with complaints about noisy dogs while this is actually the mandate of the municipal Law Enforcement section.\u201d <\/p>\n