Highveld Ridge SPCA Under Scrutiny for Animal Neglect

The recent findings at the Highveld Ridge Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in Evander, Mpumalanga, have stirred a serious conversation about animal welfare in South Africa. The National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) has vehemently criticized the SPCA for severely neglecting the animals under its care, potentially triggering legal implications and demanding immediate corrective action.

During an initial inspection in December 2023, the NSPCA discovered a grievous situation where 73 animals were found to be severely diseased without receiving any treatment. A subsequent inspection carried out on February 7 exacerbated concerns, uncovering 63 more animals with serious health issues including parvovirus, biliary, snuffles, and mange. In the short space of just two months, a shocking aggregate of 136 animals were found to be suffering under Highveld Ridge SPCA’s supervision.

This breach of duty by the Highveld Ridge SPCA is particularly distressing given the explicit legal and ethical obligation of the SPCA management committee to ensure the well-being of all animals entrusted to them. The committee, according to the NSPCA, has unequivocally failed in their duties, with considerations for prosecution under the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962 now in motion.

The SPCA has a clear mandate to act as a refuge for unwanted, unaffordable, or suffering animals, ensuring that they receive compassionate care and respect. This includes providing for euthanasia where it serves as a necessary and humane alternative to prevent prolonged suffering due to severe health conditions or cruelty such as malnutrition and physical abuse. With current conditions at the Highveld Ridge SPCA, the distressing exposure of puppies to deadly diseases within the kennels further intensifies the urgency for rectification.

The NSPCA's stance on euthanasia is rooted in the provision of a dignified, painless death as opposed to the endurance of unnecessary and extended suffering. The organization asserts that the caretakers at any SPCA should respond promptly to any sign of illness or injury with appropriate veterinary care. If the SPCA lacks the necessary resources to adequately treat and rehabilitate the animals, then they should not be retained in their care, only to suffer more.

Remaining vigilant, the NSPCA vows to persistently uphold the highest standards of animal welfare at all SPCA facilities nationwide and will not hesitate to intervene whenever these standards are at risk. Its dedication to ensuring that animals are treated with the dignity, compassion, and respect they rightly deserve is an ethos that the Highveld Ridge SPCA will now be expected to exemplify following the consequences of this investigation.

This report poses critical questions about accountability and the current state of animal welfare facilities, engaging the public and relevant authorities in discussions that could reshape the future handling of animals in need across the country.