With approximately 3 000 dogs and nearly 100 cats residing in Sea Vista, St Francis Bay, St Francis Animal Rescue has made it their mission to go door to door, educating pet owners about the Kouga Local Municipality Animals By-Law and encouraging sterilisation to reduce the number of animals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Susan Rae Fox, founder and chairperson of the non-profit organisation, St Francis Animal Rescue, said that they have been working in the impoverished township of Sea Vista since 2014, when the organisation was first launched. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since then, she said, volunteers from the organisation have worked consistently to teach dog and cat owners about the importance of sterilisation to reduce the birth of kittens and puppies and the neglect and cruelty that often stems from this.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To assist dog and cat owners, Fox said they had introduced a feeding campaign that involved subsidising good quality pet food and selling it at a very affordable price through participating spaza stores. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said that they also donate food to dogs during outreach programmes and distribute a bag of food to each owner who brings their dog or cat for a health check.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Since the outset, St Francis Animal Rescue has vaccinated thousands of puppies to prevent the spread of contagious diseases, including rabies. We deworm pets and regularly treat them for tick and flea control,” said Fox.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She further said that their bathing station, where puppies and dogs are washed and groomed, has gone a long way towards encouraging dog owners to bring their animals indoors at night and keep them safe from drug users and predators roaming the streets armed with knives, pangas, and poison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We have also been highly successful in removing hundreds of dogs from chains through an assisted fencing and sterilisation campaign,” said Fox. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite their “Open Your Eyes & Sterilise” initiative, she said the number of dogs in the Sea Vista community continues to increase as the informal squatter camps grow and new residents move into the area from other provinces and outside South Africa.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fox said that there is currently a population of some 7 000 residents in Sea Vista, and they estimate they own approximately 3 000 dogs. Fortunately, the number of cats is much smaller, with fewer than 100 counted.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fox said they were determined to reduce the number of dogs in the area and embarked on an educational campaign to inform pet owners about the current Kouga Local Municipality Animals By-Law to create awareness of pet-keeping rules and the consequences of not abiding by these. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some regulations of the Kouga Local Municipality Animals By-Law include:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Only two dogs and two cats are permitted per owner. Those with more pets must apply for a permit from the municipality.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 It is preferable that dogs and cats be sterilised.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 No breeding is allowed without a permit from the municipality.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 All pets must be provided with shelter, food, and water and kept in a securely fenced yard.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Keeping a dog on a chain is against the law, and dogs must be kept off the streets.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Owners must make an effort to stop their dogs from barking and being a nuisance.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Farm animals must not be kept in areas where people are living.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n “In conjunction with a proactive team from Law Enforcement and representatives from the SPCA, we have participated in educational campaigns, distributing leaflets explaining the Kouga by-laws, to reduce the number of dogs and keep them confined to the safety of their fenced yards, provided with shelter, food, and water,” said Fox. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n She said that there is little awareness of these rules within the community of Sea Vista, and the volunteers of St Francis Animal Rescue have committed to making sure that, through ongoing education, assistance, and advice, they will make it clear how animals must be treated in Sea Vista and the penalties that are in place for owners who are not following these simple and humane by-laws.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Learn how St Francis Animal Rescue aims to educate pet owners on responsible pet ownership and sterilisation 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