​​Mooi River & District SPCA

The SPCA in South Africa

 

The SPCA or Society for the Prevention of Cruelty has a long history in South Africa. The first branch was founded in the Cape in 1872, and still exists today as the Cape of Good Hope SPCA. Other branches soon followed: Port Elizabeth (1875), Durban (1896), Johannesburg (1902), Pietermaritzburg (1906) and both Pretoria and Krugersdorp in 1910. All except Port Elizabeth is still in operation to this day.

 

Today, there are close to 100 SPCA branches dotted across the more than one million square kilometres of South Africa. This might sound a lot but many areas are not covered by any SPCA branch or other animal welfare organisation. There is no one to care for animals in these ‘lost zones’ – what a tragedy!

 

Each SPCA is a member of the National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) and is fully autonomous. Each branch is established by the community wherein it operates, has its own Non Profit Organisation (NPO) number, and is responsible for the running and fundraising efforts that keep its doors open.

 

The NSPCA and SPCA branches receive no funding from national government. Some branches receive support from their municipalities in return for acting as the municipal pound, as required by law.

 

Each SPCA branch and the NSPCA as a whole are audited in the interest of financial transparency.

 

For an animal welfare operation to be allowed to use the name of the SPCA, it must follow the strict guidelines and operating standards set by the NSPCA. Regular checks and inspections are carried out by NSPCA personnel.

 

The NSPCA is the only animal welfare organisation that is gazetted by South African law into being in terms of section 7 of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 169 of 1993.