GEORGE NEWS - A police officer who forms part of the K9 unit in George is contemplating his legal options after an altercation with the Garden Route SPCA.
Jonathan Edwards' 18-month-old Jack Russel terrier, Fifi, will in all likelihood be adopted by another family, because of a disagreement regarding the adoption contract.
"I won't be allowed to train Fifi as a police dog, which is what I've been doing before she went missing," said Edwards.
Edwards' intention to use the dog for police work is the biggest stumbling block in the way of taking her home, but not the only one. According to Senior Inspector Salome Bruyns, Edwards failed the pre-home inspection.
The SPCA is also not impressed by the fact that he waited 16 days to give them a call after Fifi went missing.
"He admitted that he will be using the dog for the police. By law we are not allowed to give animals for adoption for security purposes," said Bruyns.
Dognapping
Edwards claims his 18-month-old Jack Russel terrier Fifi was stolen near his home in Short Street, in Pacaltsdorp. According to Edwards, Fifi followed a person she knew to the shops - something she often did - and on her way back to her house, was called into another person's yard.
"She knew this person too," said Edwards. When Edwards came home on 24 March, his dog was gone.
Meanwhile, Fifi was brought to the SPCA on the same day she went missing, by a person who allegedly found her in Wilderness.
"The dog had no form of identification, which made it impossible for us to make contact with the owner. The dog was in the pound kennel for seven days* and after the pound period has lapsed, she was moved over to the adoption block for adoption, which was within our legal rights to do," said Bruyns.
The SPCA pounded her for 16 days before they received a call from Edwards, who saw his dog being advertised on the SPCA's Facebook page, as Lola.
"I went to see her at the SPCA and she was so happy to see me," he said. Edwards was asked to go through the adoption process and have her spayed, which he said he was willing to do. He also said he secured his fence to put an end to Fifi's wanderlust. However, according to the SPCA, Edwards had made no effort to secure his property.
Bruyns said Edwards first refused to pay an adoption fee because he believed his dog to be stolen. The SPCA argues that Edwards was unable to provide a case number for a stolen dog, because she had been roaming the streets when she was allegedly stolen. Edwards commented that he did not open a case, since it is not a requirement.
The SPCA eventually accepted money offered as a payment towards the adoption and spaying at a discounted fee, pending the outcome of the pre-home inspection, which he failed.
On the dotted line
The main problem came when he needed to sign a contract indicating that Fifi wouldn't be used for police work. "That is what I've been training her for," said Edwards. "I trained Tessa, a drug and semen dog, for the police. She has to retire soon, and I've been working with Fifi in the meantime. I am not happy about the contract; it makes no sense to me. My wife and kids are very upset about it all. They want their dog back."
In terms of adoption policies of the SPCA, as well as the Act, they may not home an animal to a person or legal entity that intends to, or is reasonably likely to, use the animal for the provision of security services. A legal entity is defined as a private or commercial security organisation, which includes companies, the police service, defence service and prison services.
Bruyns said the SPCA was unable to proceed with the adoption process and as such, Edwards' application for adoption has been declined.
Cheri Cooke, senior inspector and chairperson of the Garden Route SPCA, said it was only after Edwards failed his pre-home inspection that he claimed he would be using his dog for police training.
"Police officials should be setting the example to our community," said Cooke. "Ensuring that your animals are sterilised and secure is the very least one can do as a responsible pet owner. As the only welfare organisation that is legislated to enforce laws protecting animals in South Africa, we would be irresponsible to allow this dog to return to this property. We look forward to finding her a home where she will be part of a family, and where she will not take to the streets in search of a better life."
Read more about steps to take when your animal gets lost and learn why the SPCA is not allowed to put up a lost-and-found poster in the seven-day period before the animal becomes their property.
* The municipal pound period for small animals is seven days. Thereafter, the stray animal automatically moves from the pound kennels to the SPCA kennels and, at this time, legally becomes the property of the SPCA. "We as the SPCA operate the pound according to by-laws promulgated by the municipality. Impoundment fees that are payable are also worked out and proposed by the municipality," said Bruyns.
Steps one should take as soon as you realise your dog is no longer at home
Domestic pets can get lost quite easily when someone leaves the gate open or they slip out unseen when you are taking the car out of the property.
Follow these tips from Garden Route SPCA and learn why they are not allowed to put up a lost-and-found poster in the seven-day pound period before the animal becomes their property:
Phone your local SPCA and animal welfare organisation
Give all the details (breed, age, sex, sterilised or not, microchipped or not, wearing a collar and disc or not, area where dog went missing, and the day the dog went missing as well as your name and contact number).
If any animal that fits the description of your lost pet enters into the SPCA/animal welfare organisation, the organisation will contact you to visit its premises to see if they have your lost pet.
Within the first seven days this will entail (at an SPCA) the owner paying an impounding fee to get their animal back. This fee is inclusive of a collar and ID disc (if the animal does not already have these) and is very important as the animal will then have some form of identification if they should ever escape from the premises again.
The more people who know of your pet's details, the more chance you usually have of getting him or her returned safely. Post on lost and found groups on social media and contact all veterinarians in your area.
Members of the public can also drop off animals that they have found at vets' offices, that will normally hold onto the lost animal for a couple of days before sending it to the nearest SPCA/animal welfare.
Put up posters
Include a clear picture of the lost animal all around where you live and perhaps offer a small reward for the safe return of the animal. It is important that on these posters you include the sex and age of the animal and if they have been sterilised or not, as well as the area that they were lost from.
Search the area. This is really only worthwhile if the animal is immediately noticed missing as, once out of the premises, they can cover quite large distances in a short time. However, getting in your car and searching the nearby streets for the lost animal can be instrumental in finding them and is worth trying.
Found notices
The SPCA is not allowed to use the Internet for posting "found" notices and may not authorise, support or become involved with any other party that does so, whether this is on behalf of a society or with their knowledge.
It often surprises people that the SPCA Act prohibits placing details of lost and found animals on websites/the Internet.
The fact is, posting "lost and found" on websites has the potential to attract chancers who might try to reclaim an animal that he/she never lost. Criminals such as dog fighters also obtain animals for illegal and inhumane purposes.
Although SPCAs frequently struggle to find suitable, responsible homes for their animals, they seem to attract no end of people who wish to reclaim animals that are not theirs, perhaps to try and get a pet cheaply or to avoid the requirement of sterilisation.
The reasoning included the fact that they want people to come to their kennels to look for the animal(s) they have lost. There is no substitute for personal recognition. Advising of lost animals on the Internet can be misleading, since a Maltese at the SPCA in Kimberley may look remarkably like the one someone lost on the beach in Plettenberg Bay. A great deal of administrative time can also be taken up in this way.
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