April is Animal Anti-Cruelty Month, and the Durban and Pietermaritzburg branch of the Animal Anti-Cruelty League (AACL) is appealing to the public to increase their awareness of abandoned, harmed or injured animals, and support their organisation that provides a vital service to animals who are unable to fend for themselves.
The AACL currently looks after 44 stray cats and 34 stray dogs which have either been brought in by members of the public or rescued from cruel and unsafe environments.
Importantly the organisation also works tirelessly in economically disadvantaged communities and conducts sterilizations and vaccinations, deworming, and flea- and tick-dipping of dogs and cats supporting people who are unable to provide this kind of primary health care for their pets. They have a robust inspectorate that investigates acts of cruelty to animals, removing them, providing medical attention, and rehabilitating them.
“Companion animals, like cats and dogs, are protected by the anti-cruelty provisions of Section 2(1) of the Animal Protection Act 1962,” explains GM of the ACCL (Durban and Pietermaritzburg), David Rogers. “We act as a compassionate and pro-active entity to intervene where we find animals being ill-treated, neglected, cruelly beaten, teased or terrified, or if it has been confined in a way that it is suffering, or neglected or abandoned in circumstances likely to cause unnecessary suffering.”
“It is often exhausting, sad, and emotionally draining working in this environment, but the rewards are big when we have the successes in our rehabilitation, and adoption processes,” says Rogers. “The service we provide is entirely dependent on the funds we can raise, and the wonderful support we have from a body of dedicated volunteers to help to make things easier for the animals.”
Rogers explains that all animals that can be rehabilitated, are up for adoption by the public, with necessary checks done on the new owners. They also offer boarding facilities in their magnificent kennels at a reasonable price which helps towards their fundraising efforts.
The facilities are set amongst the picturesque countryside in Hammarsdale, providing a safe, quiet space for animals to be rehabilitated, and treated. To help towards their fundraising endeavours the AACL has a bustling tea garden, a well-stock and beautifully curated charity shop, a large pool (for use for a R20 donation), and conference and function facilities for small groups.
This weekend, on Sunday, April 14 the AACL hosts their highly popular Dog Walk and Market from 8am to 1pm at their premises, 53 Artesia Avenue, D657 Road, Hammarsdale. There is a R50 early bird entrance fee (R60 on the day) which includes the walk, a market with crafts, clothes, second-hand goods, food, and fun activities for children. (Children under 12 are free).
The League is appealing to the public, businesses, and corporates to donate to the organisation to support this vital work they do for animals, that are unable to fight for themselves.
Donation information and more information about the work the AACL does can be found on https://www.aacl.co.za/branches-durban-pietermaritzburg/
