Cape Town – Abandoned dogs have been streaming through the doors of the Mdzananda Animal Clinic in Khayelitsha in the lead-up to the festive season.
The clinic is an NPO veterinary clinic and not specifically a shelter. They have a very small shelter programme which can cater for 15 dogs. Currently, they have 24 dogs and 10 puppies at the shelter along with many more dogs in foster care.
“The festive season is happy for most, but for us it is the hardest time of the year,” said Marcelle du Plessis, fund-raising and communications manager at Mdzananda Animal Clinic.
“We are already over capacity and we have had to start showing people away.”
She said the clinic reports that between November and February community members go on holiday. They have no solutions for their pets so they abandon them at the clinic.
“Some have even been thrown over our walls at night. Rather with us than in the streets, but since we do not have the capacity to be a large shelter, it places extreme pressure on our staff, space and resources,” explained Du Plessis.
Heidi May, the general manager at Mdzananda, said that the dogs at their shelter are mostly not what people find attractive.
“There are many Africanis, brown, short-haired dogs but not the cute and fluffy small breeds that get homes quickly. Just last week we had a rare case of a Boston terrier puppy up for adoption. Within a few hours, we had hundreds of phone calls, emails and social media messages of people wanting to adopt this puppy because of his breed. We wish we had that type of response for our other dogs as so many sit in our shelter with no homes.”
Kim, a black, medium-sized cross-breed, was skinny and very scared when she arrived at the clinic. Today she is the pack leader, but no one has come to adopt her. “Sadly, black-furred dogs are slow to be adopted,” said Du Plessis.
Bonny and Clyde, two pit bull siblings, have been at the shelter for months. Du Plessis said they are special-needs cases and that is why no one wants them. “Even though they come with some complications, they are the sweetest dogs and also deserve a home.”
About three years in age, both have cancerous growths that keep returning.
“There is not much that can be done for the cancer, but they still have long lives ahead of them. Clyde runs on three legs due to an old hind leg injury and would be best as an only dog.”
It costs the clinic around R1 500 to care for an abandoned pet in its first month with them. This is just to cover their sterilisation, vaccinations, dewormers, flea and tick treatment and food and excludes all other costs such as staff, electricity and water.
The animal clinic is calling on the public to adopt or foster during this time. They are also asking for financial support. If you are able to help, please make a donation to Mdzananda Animal Clinic, Standard Bank, Account number: 075595710, Branch: Rondebosch, Branch Code: 025009, Savings account, Reference: pets + Your Name.
Weekend Argus