The initiative, dating back to 2013, sees City Health disburse grant-in-aid funding, which allows the Cape Animal Welfare Forum to sterilise thousands of pets in identified areas, to curb unwanted litters and promote animal health.

The City of Cape Town is once again partnering with animal welfare organisations in the interest of pet health.

Since 2013, City Health has disbursed nearly R6 million through grant-in-aid funding to the Cape of Good Hope SPCA to facilitate mass sterilisation projects along with fellow member organisations within the Cape Animal Welfare Forum (CAWF).

Successful campaigns have been concluded in Dunoon, Brown’s Farm, Khayelitsha, Atlantis, Wallacedene/Bloekombos and Tafelsig, benefiting 13 376 dogs and cats in these areas.

This year, the campaign is being rolled out in Imizamo Yethu and Hangberg in Hout Bay, Ocean View and Masiphumelele – as identified by CAWF.

The animal welfare organisations have already started undertaking an estimated pet count in the areas, as well as public engagement on the importance of sterilising pets, and animal health and welfare in general.

Pet owners in the identified areas are encouraged to sign up their pets for the procedure, which includes sterilisation, a rabies vaccine supplied by the Western Cape Department of Agriculture and parasite control, sponsored by CAWF.

‘Animals are incredibly vulnerable, and reliant on their owners to ensure that they are kept in the best health. The City is acutely aware that healthy animals are vital to healthy communities, and that is why we keep supporting this very important work that our animal welfare organisations are doing. I want to encourage pet owners who would otherwise not have the means to secure this critical procedure for their dogs and cats to take up this opportunity. I also want to thank the animal welfare sector for the tireless dedication and commitment, and bringing the project to life year after year. The investment that the City makes into these mass sterilisation campaigns is definitely funds well spent, benefiting not only the pets involved, but also the humans they live alongside,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia Van der Ross.

Eight members of the Cape Animal Welfare Forum are participating in the project this year. They are the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), Animal Welfare Society, EnviroVet, Animal Rescue Organisation, TEARS, DARG and the Animal Anti Cruelty League.

The organisations will aim to sterilise at least 70% of the intact animal population in the identified areas over the next three to six months.

‘The Cape Animal Welfare Forum would like to thank the City of Cape Town for once again sponsoring this mass sterilisation project. We aim to sterilise at least 1 500 animals in the identified areas in the coming months. Sterilisation is a key factor in responsible pet ownership and how we maintain overall healthy communities, preventing diseases which are difficult and expensive to treat, as well as the birth of unwanted litters born into challenging circumstances. Our member organisations are working hard to ensure the success of the project, but we need the assistance and support of the communities to reach our goal,’ said the Chairperson of the Cape Animal Welfare Forum, Karen De Klerk.

Source: City Of Cape Town