Cape of Good Hope
136th
Annual Report 2014
Our Mission No animal will ever be turned away. No animal will be left to an uncertain fate. We will stand up and fight for the rights of ALL animals as sentient beings and a cherished part of the world we live in. We at the Cape of Good Hope SPCA remain devoted to speaking for the thousands of animals in the greater Cape Town area who cannot speak for themselves. We stand fast in our vow to be the guardians of animals in need, the carers for the sick and injured, and the safe haven for the lost or abandoned. In a world crippled by ignorance, indifference, neglect and abuse, our team of dedicated staff are determined to overcome new challenges every day, as they persist in their commitment to fight for the legal and sentient rights of animals. We are humbled by the backing of thousands of animallovers and supporters who have helped us care for the animals of Cape Town for 142 years. We thank you for believing in us, empowering us and standing beside us in our mission to bring an end to cruelty towards all animals. It is our greatest wish that as a Society, as a community, and as a city, all Capetonians will one day join hands and work together towards a single vision - to live in an animal crueltyfree society where all life is equally valued and respected. 2
Table of Contents
The Cape of Good Hope SPCA’s mission, enshrined in its constitution, is to: l Prevent cruelty to all animals; l Rescue animals from crisis and distress; l Provide care and shelter for sick and injured, abandoned, stray, unwanted and surrendered animals; l Reunite and adopt animals into loving forever homes; l Provide primary veterinary care to animals from poor communities; l Educate young learners about the humane treatment of animals; l Advocate for changes in laws and policies to benefit all animals; l Inspire and motivate people to stand up for animals and share their gifts to help us continue our life-saving work.
Our Mission . . . . . . . . . Chairman’s Report. . . . . . . Highlights . . . . . . . . . . CEO’s Report . . . . . . . . . Your donations at work . . . . . Inspectorate . . . . . . . . . Wildlife Unit . . . . . . . . . Horse Care Unit . . . . . . . . Farm Animal Unit . . . . . . . Veterinary Services . . . . . . . Animal Care Centre . . . . . . Education . . . . . . . . . . Fundraising and Communications. Treasurer’s Report . . . . . . . Bequest and Trusts. . . . . . . Directors and Management . . .
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Editor: Lise-Marie Greeff-Villet Photography: Tamed and Framed Design: Joan Sutton Printing: Ascot Press
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Chairman’s Report It is with a sense of pride and humility that I write this report at the end of my second year as Board Chairman. The pride I feel arises from the fact that I feel privileged to work and serve with a large force of dedicated animal lovers who strive each day to improve the lot of vast numbers of animals in and around greater Cape Town.
“The humility I feel is because I am deeply aware of the incredible effort and drive our staff applies to its daily tasks - many of which demand both courage and great commitment.”
The year we have completed has brought many lessons learned and a long list of achievements which are reflected in the reports of the various departments. I am humbled by the thought that our staff is willing and able to work with desperate animals and unthinking people in order to achieve a better life or a dignified end for our animals in need. The most exciting undertaking which began many months ago and which will run for a long time to come, is the building of a number of new kennels and other facilities for our Animal Care Centre. This huge building project has been referred to in our Treasurer’s and Managers’ reports and deserves the full support of donors, the public and the corporate world. Such support then endorses the fact that animal welfare is closely linked to our personal and community well-being and health.
A sincere thank you to our staff and to all the members of the public and business world who have supported our SPCA. Your generosity will bless many animals and reduce the suffering of many tormented creatures. May the year ahead be filled with even greater advances for our SPCA. Sincerely,
Theodore Shippey Chairman
Highlights Fighting Animal Cruelty l Investigated 5454 reports of cruelty. l Opened 5 new cases of animal cruelty. l Three Trainee Inspectors successfully qualified to fully authorised Inspectors.
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Education l Received a Silver Impumelelo Award in recognition for excellence of the Ani-Pals Education Programme. l Increased sterilisations by 8% to 675.
Horse Care Unit l Adopted 62 equines to loving new homes.
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Farm Animal Unit Wildife Unit l Increased wildAssisted 22% more farm animals than the previous life interventions year. by 13%. Increased adoptions by 74%.
CEO’s Report
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Photographer: Alf Kum
I dedicate this annual review to one of my heroes and role models, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela - the late Father of our Nation and Patron of the SPCA movement who sadly passed away on the 5th December 2013, aged 95. Madiba once said that: “You will achieve more in this world through acts of mercy than you will through acts of retribution.” This famous quote forms the basis of our ethos of Prevention before Prosecution and Education instead of Confiscation with miraculous results. He is also revered for saying (while addressing newly elected USA President Obama): “Your victory has demonstrated that no person anywhere in the world should not dare to dream of wanting to change the world for a better place”. We are privileged to be able to live this dream through our daily deeds and unselfish actions and
Hospitals and Mobile Clinics l Administered 27 140 treatments to pets from indigent communities through our Mobile Clinics l Treatments administered by mobile clinics up by 33,7% l The hospital was finally able to acquire a digital X-Ray machine.
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I salute the Board of Directors, my entire team and everyone else who has supported us throughout the year for enabling our organisation to achieve countless victories in our fight against cruelty to animals and plan a host of exciting endeavours for the future. Best wishes
Allan Perrins CEO
Animal Care Centre Reunited 608 lost pets with their owners. Initiated the planning and funding of a project that will see a new world-class Animal Care Centre constructed in the near future.
Fundraising Donations from supporters who responded to our mail appeals generated a nett profit of R2 171 000 l Web site donations grew by 53%. l
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Your donations at work Income 2013 / 2014
Vetshop 14%
Investments 9%
Bequests 14% Education 1% Boarding and Adoptions 4% Lottery Distribution Trust Fund 3%
20000
3297 15000
26196
3603 4008 1523
Horse Care Unit 1%
Communications and Resource Development 30%
Administration costs include depreciation, bank fees, insurance and IT costs, which for accounting purposes are not reallocated to underlying departments.
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243 4092 940 3054
25000
10000
Inspectorate 2% Hospital 12%
30000
R’000
Trusts 10%
How our funds were utilised
5000 5436 0
Surplus Invested
Administration
Inspectorate
Fundraising
Vetshops
Education/Awareness
Capex
Animal Care
Treatment
13 395
25 422
4915
learners reached through education programmes
animals inspected
animals sterilised
454
86 391
equines received medical treatment
animals treated through our veterinary services
752 cats and dogs adopted to loving new homes
14 825 cats and dogs vaccinated
1150 wild animals rescued
Thank you for making every animal count!
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Inspectorate As embodied in the Cape of Good Hope SPCA’s mission - to prevent cruelty to all animals - the Inspectorate set out over the past twelve months with a focus on mass sterilisation campaigns as a targeted approach to combat the explosive animal population growth within the Cape Metropole.
We find ourselves living in a society characterised by a domestic animal population that far exceeds the capacity of good homes available to care and provide for these companion animals. This results in thousands of animals falling victim to a vicious cycle of cruelty as typified by neglect, trauma, starvation and disease. Accordingly, humane animal population management will remain a key theme of all activities within the Inspectorate in the coming years and great inroads have been made in this regard during the period under review with more than 4 000 animals sterilised through campaigns implemented in DuNoon, Brown’s Farm and Khayelitsha Site B. During the past year, three Trainee Inspectors
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successfully qualified to become fully authorized Inspectors bringing the staff complement of Inspectors, Controllers and Collection Officers to 22. Faced with the task of covering 11 000 square kilometres, and responding to approximately 150 alerts per day, this team needs to be commended for their determination in ensuring that all reports of distress and cruelty are investigated, all year round, 24 hours a day: l Various proactive interventions were conducted in for instance Hout Bay, Imizamo Yethu, Kalkfontein, Bloekombos, and farms in the Stellenbosch area. l Cats kept us on our toes, such as the cat stuck up the 12m pine tree that we, only after four hours and with assistance of two Fire and Rescue Stations, finally rescued. l Our skills are regularly tested such as in the case of the dog that had his head stuck in a container and was trapped in Wallacedene Vlei. Inspectors had to wade through the shoulder deep water for approximately 1520 meters to successfully rescue the dog. l The City of Cape Town has invited the SPCA
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to be part of a committee that will be working on the policies and standards applied to the use of security dogs. More often organizers of animal-related religious festivals or events, such as the Muslim festival of Qurbani or the Cape Rabbit Association Show, are recognizing the role of the SPCA and contacted us to ensure the welfare of the animals. We were frequently called upon to assist animals affected by severe weather conditions whether it be animals trapped in floods, pets left without shelter in the winter cold or summer heat, or dogs locked in closed cars in the scorching sun.
Although our philosophy is to try and educate and guide first before taking punitive action, we will also not hesitate to lay charges against those who perpetrate cruelty towards animals and contravene the Animal Protection Act (APA). We are fortunate in this regard to continue to receive great support from SAPS and Law Enforcement: l Three suspects were apprehended after they were spotted carting a nanny goat with a kid in a wheelie bin in the Mitchells Plain area. The goats were brought to the SPCA and charges of animal
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cruelty were laid against the offenders. With the help of Muizenberg SAPS a group of teenagers using dogs for fighting purposes, were caught in the act and charges laid. We met with the Airport SAPS team with a mandate to curb the trafficking of animals, especially dogs, to Angola and Namibia.
Our priorities for the year ahead: Advocate for more funding to be made available for Mass Animal Sterilisations projects l Embark on more outreaches aimed at sterilisation and education on responsible pet ownership l Engage with senior SAPS and Law Enforcement officials in order to investigate the scourge of dog fighting. l Bolster the relationship with the WC Department of Agriculture to strengthen the oversight of welfare issues with regards to farm animals. l
Statistics Cruelty investigations Warnings issued Animals inspected Collected animals (unwanted/stray)
2013/2014 5 454 889 25 422 7 607
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Wildlife Unit During the year under review, the Wildlife Unit experienced significant growth in both the impact made on the community, as well as exposure received. As more Capetonians become aware of the role that the SPCA plays in caring for and protecting wildlife, calls for assistance increased and 13% more wild animals were admitted compared to last year. Of great concern is the drastic increase in the number of exotic animals that found their way to our Short Term Wildlife Care Facility. This seems to indicate an escalation in the number of such animals being kept as “pets”.
could. Birds of prey, small antelope, snakes, tortoises, porcupines, seals – these are but a few examples of the wide array of animals that were magnificently returned to their own habitat over the past year. We also undertook a few mass release projects at approved sites such as Diemersfontein Wine Estate, that lends itself well to the release of certain species, such as birds and tortoises, and has become a valued partner in this regard. It gives us immense joy to see these animals free in an environment conducive to their survival, and it is our greatest wish that all people will understand the importance of keeping them in the wild. Very often injured animals end up at our Unit as a result of human-wildlife conflict. Most of this conflict originates from a lack of knowledge and understanding of the animals’ natural behaviour and we believe We therefore persisted in working with the that through education many such incidences can relevant authorities to bring an end to the illegal be prevented. import and sale of exotic animals as pets. In the Accordingly we actively sought out opportunities same vein we kept, and will continue to keep, a for exposure that would allow us to reach as many watchful eye on circuses, zoos, pet shops, aquaria people as we could with our message. The Wildlife and other captive wildlife facilities. Unit took up every chance to speak at schools, clubs Furthermore, much focus was placed on successfully releasing as many animals as we possibly and community outreach organisations with the
We are committed to our credo that wild animals belong in the wild.
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purpose of making the community aware of the role we perform with regards to monitoring and protecting wild animals, and providing advice on how to live peacefully in such close vicinity to an abundance of wildlife. Reaching our younger generation is key, and the Unit was lucky to be featured and share their message on the SABC2 television show �Hectic 9 Nine�, that has an estimated 2,5 million viewers. We hope to see the young people of Cape Town become excited about the animals found in their area, and become passionate about the
preservation of all living creatures. We are very grateful to those members of the community who do already embrace the wildlife around us, and take the time to alert us to animals in distress. Although the large number of callouts continually keep our three wildlife inspectors on their toes, it is all worth it when you relieve an animal from suffering, and successfully save animals such as in the following two cases: l During the cold winter of 2013, a Burmese Python came to us in an appalling condition. The adult female reptile was ill due to being kept under extremely poor captive conditions, which led to the development of pneumonia, mouth and scale rot. After weeks of antibiotics and special care in a warm and comfortable environment, the animal made a full recovery into a vibrant, healthy snake and was released into safe sanctuary. l In March 2014 we were called upon to rescue a seal pup which swam too far off from home and was found heading up a canal dangerously close to
a neighbouring industrial waste factory. The pup was caught and after spending a night in our care, was returned by boat to Seal Island where it made a happy reunion with its mother. Our thanks go out to all our donors, and specifically also to the amazing support received annually from the Hans Hoheisen Charitable Trust, who make it possible for us to continue our critical services. Our priorities for the year ahead l Respond to wildlife in crisis and distress as quickly and effectively as possible. l Increase our efforts to reach the people of Cape Town with educational messages about wildlife in and around their communities. l Continue to build and maintain productive relationships with all authorities involved in wildlife care and management.
Statistics Wild animals admitted Wildlife cruelty cases Wildlife rescues Facilities monitored
2013/2014 1 353 800 1 150 15
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Horse Care Unit The Horse Care Unit (HCU) remains steadfast in its focus on being a major role-player in the prevention of cruelty, and the education of equine owners. It is an undeniable fact that to own a horse is very expensive. It is also a fact that the more work we do, the more we spend and over the past year, our Horse Care Unit was filled to capacity almost year round with many horses and ponies requiring an extra-ordinary investment to nurse them back to good health. The unavoidable consequence of the Unit having to feed and care for so many horses, ponies and donkeys for extended periods was a grossly over-spent budget. The two areas that we dare never compromise on, namely food and primary health care, took a real hammering and by financial year-end were 258% and 558% overspent respectively. An additional unforeseen expense that added significantly to the financial woes of the Unit was excessive vehicle and horse box repair and maintenance costs - as a result of excessive wear and tear of the Unit’s vehicle fleet due to an unprecedented demand for the Unit’s services.
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We eventually decided to replace the Units “tired” Isuzu with a brand new, customised vehicle that will enable the Unit to safely render its services for many years to come. The Unit also suffered a loss of dependable, monthly income from the Western Cape Equine Trust which reduced its funding from a generous R21 000 to R5 000 per month. Thankfully this shortfall was substantially mitigated by the kind generosity of our Society’s many individual donors who rallied to the aid of the Unit so that it could continue its life saving work without being overly pre-occupied by financial concerns. We are passionate about giving abused, abandoned and neglected horses, ponies and donkeys a second chance by rehabilitating and retraining them and finding them caring new homes - and this year we once again committed ourselves to the challenging goal of not euthanasing one equine because a suitable home couldn’t be found. We adopted a total of 62 equines ranging from retired racehorses to humble donkeys. An incredible achievement despite seemingly overwhelming odds and testament to the tenacity and genuine commitment of the Unit’s personnel.
We remain enormously grateful to all of our donors for their on-going support and continued faith and confidence in the Unit and wish to acknowledge everyone who chose to adopt from us instead of buying from the many unscrupulous breeders and traders that abound the industry. We also wish to thank and pay tribute to the Unit’s small army of dedicated volunteers who brave the elements to ensure that the horses in our care receive regular grooming and exercise whilst awaiting a new home or return to their owners. They made an incredible difference and allowed us to do what we do best - prevent cruelty. We are also pleased to be able to report that the efforts of the Unit have not gone unnoticed by the “equine industry� and are grateful for the pledge of support from the Thoroughbred Breeders Association. Despite a tumultuous past year, the Unit proved its resilience and came out on top and ambitious plans are underway to further improve the levels of professionalism and service of the Unit which will soon migrate over to the Farmyard area of the facility which is better suited to the keeping of
horses as it is not prone to seasonal flooding. We look forward to sharing our challenges and achievements with you over the next 12 months. Priorities for the year ahead: l Embark on more community outreaches aimed at educating owners on proper equine husbandry and care. l Prioritise post home checks on all the animals adopted from the Unit and be able to ensure that the welfare of the animals adopted from the Unit is not compromised. l Engage with other organisations and relevant authorities in the Cape Metropole involved in equine welfare to ensure adequate monitoring of living conditions and working routines of all equines.
Statistics Admissions Adoptions Equines Treated at HCU
2013/2014 161 62 454
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Farm Animal Unit The Farm Animal Unit with its on-site farmyard facilities, continues to play a critical role in caring for, rehabilitating and rehoming stray, injured and confiscated farm animals. During the past year the unit was a temporary safe haven for copious numbers of goats, potbelly pigs, rabbits, chickens, cattle and sheep brought to the SPCA either because they could no longer be kept by their owners, were removed from their owners due to abuse or unacceptable living conditions, or were found wandering about homeless and often causing havoc in traffic and city suburbs as a result. Catching, herding and loading these animals, especially if found on a busy highway, often posed a difficult task and the inspectors assigned to this unit are expected to be skilled and experienced in working with large livestock. Appropriate transport is also crucial, and maintaining and purchasing the approved vehicles and trailers on a shoestring budget, remained a great challenge.
Farm animals have the same rights as any other living creature, and our Farm Animal Unit plays a vital role in the SPCA's mission to care for and prevent cruelty towards ALL animals. 14
The advent of factory farming has seen an increase in the abuse and cruelty subjected to farm animals. This cruelty takes the form of inadequate housing, unnecessary confinement, parasitic environments and unacceptable modes of transportation, to name but a few of the most prevelant issues. In this regard we continued to confiscate animals as a result of such conditions, not returning them unless the farmer proved that circumstances had changed, and full inspections had been passed. Sadly, most of the
confiscations were once again from small scale pig farmers, and we were faced with some of the most horrific cases of neglect and abuse towards these intelligent and sentient animals. We believe that education is a vital tool in uplifting the plight of farm animals especially in the hands of small to emerging farmers who lack the basic infrastructure to adequately care for these animals. Accordingly we try to use every opportunity to build productive relationships with the local farmers and advise and assist them in their endeavours. In one particular instance partnerships were forged with external specialist veterinarians who assisted with the education of small farmers in the Klipheuwel area. This project yielded good results and paved the way for similar partnerships in future. The unit continues to work closely with the Animal Control Unit of Law Enforcement by offering additional housing facilities and attending to the veterinary needs of impounded animals, as well as working on joint rescue projects during emergency situations. In the period under review the unit attended to the emergency flooding in the rural fringes of the Cape Metropole in record time and
assisted in the rescuing of a large number of pigs, sheep and goats that had been trapped in the disaster. These animals were cared for in our farmyard until it was safe for them to be returned to their owners. We sincerely thank all who donated feed, provided funding and those who opened their paddocks and pens as new homes for adopted farm animals. Priorities for the year ahead: l Make increased efforts to engage the various stakeholders within the Cape Metropole ranging from the City to the Provincial Department of Agriculture in order to improve the welfare standards of all farm animals. l Reach out to the small scale farmers in the surrounding communities with organised education initiatives.
Statistics Admissions Adoptions
2013/2014 263 31
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Veterinary Services During the past year 86 391 dogs and cats and their financially strapped owners were the direct beneficiaries of the Cape of Good Hope SPCA’s subsidised veterinary services comprised of the Clinic and Animal Hospital in Grassy Park and a fleet of four Mobile Clinics that serve indigent communities in the Cape Metropole.
house clinic, while 39 490 animals passed through our animal hospital. We are also pleased to report that our veterinarians sterilised a record number of 4 240 animals. Many of the pet owners who need our services, are however not in a position to come to our Animal Hospital due to financial and logistical
Despite many operational and financial challenges faced by our Animal Hospital, we are dedicated to heal and relieve the pain and suffering of all animals, and will never turn away any animal in need of care. Even with expectation of slight economic relief as we slowly start to recover from the recent recession, many of the communities we serve continue to struggle with decreased levels of disposable income, resulting in more and more pet owners turning to welfare-based health care services, such as offered by our Animal Hospital, for assistance. Consequently our in-house clinic and animal hospital once again ran close to, or at full capacity, for most of the past year, challenging not only our financial, but also our human resource capacity. 15 521 owners brought their animals to our in-
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limitations. This is why we make sure to take veterinary services to their doorstep through our Mobile Clinics. During the last year these Mobile Clinics performed 27 140 treatments, an increase of 33.7% compared to the previous year. The SPCA Animal Hospital again took up administrative and operational leadership of Mass Animal Sterilisation Projects undertaken, in association with the City of Cape Town and the Cape Animal Welfare Forum, in Du Noon, Brown’s Farm and Site B, Khayelitsha. Animal population control and sterilisation was a key area of focus for the Animal
Hospital and many resources were put into organised campaigns to address uncontrolled domestic animal breeding in and around the Cape Metropole. As a non-profit hospital, keeping up to date with the latest equipment and technology is always a challenge, but we remained committed to providing basic veterinary care of the highest standard. This year we were very fortunate to be able to acquire a digital X-Ray system that has greatly improved our diagnostic ability and has significantly lowered the cost of X-Rays. Whether it is in the Animal Hospital, or out in the field with the Mobile Clinics, the hospital staff are faced with new difficulties each and every day. More so than you would find in any private veterinary practise or hospital, this hospital’s team of veterinarians, animal welfare assistants, orderlies and administrative staff have to, on an on-going basis, not only handle the daily grind of standard medical cases, but also deal with a multitude of incidences of extreme neglect and abuse. That is why, in our hospital, you will only find people with strength of character, a true passion for animals, and a genuine empathy for the plight of pet owners in need. We would like to extend our gratitude to loyal
supporters and corporate donors who supported our efforts, and it is our wish that continued support will allow us to expand our reach and impact going forward. Our priorities for the year ahead l Expand operational capacity through the training of staff and modernisation of hospital facilities. l Replacement of aged anaesthetic units. l Reducing the hospital’s operational deficit. l Increasing the number of sterilisations. l Increasing the number of animals treated, and services delivered, by our Mobile Clinics.
Statistics Animals brought by owners to our Clinic Animals admitted into Hospital Animals treated by our Mobile Clinics Animals sterilised
2013/2014 15 521 39 490 24 301 4 240
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Animal Care Centre Our division could have been called many things: the kennels, the cattery, the pound, but we chose to call it the Animal Care Centre, because this is where animals are cared for, rehabilitated and treated with compassion, 24/7, every day, year in and year out. The period under review saw 16 818 animals admitted to our SPCA. Although this signifies a significant decrease compared to the previous year, it obviously is still just too many. Our team of ardent staff had their work cut out for them in trying to care for these thousands of animals, reunite as many of them with their owners as possible, and provide a second chance at a good life to those left behind. Balancing the budgets, whilst caring for so many animals, remains a huge challenge, especially since we receive no government funding and are completely reliant on the generosity of mainly individual donors. Adding to our burden, the price of pet food is forever on the increase and donations in this regard sadly dwindling. We foresee that we are going to have to spend more than R10 000 per month on food in the coming year, which is worrying as we would much rather utilise such funds towards activities that combat cruelty to
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animals, and rescue abused animals from a fate worse than death. We are, however, indebted to the various pet food companies, distributors and supporters who provided food donations, and the many individual donors who enabled us to never turn any animal in need away during the past year. Once again the anomaly that disturbs us most is the fact that of the total animals admitted only 7066 were brought in as strays, whereas 9752 were surrendered to us by their owners. Although we are thankful that these owners at least brought the animals to the SPCA for surrender, we are saddened by the apparent disregard that so many of them have for their pets. Some of these surrenders are due to genuine crises that hinder the owners from keeping their pet, but most of the surrenders could be prevented by making more informed choices, not giving pets as gifts, through humane education, and maybe even by means of more effective policies to guide pet ownership in Cape Town. The fact that only 9% of strays were claimed by their owners, leads us to believe that the vast majority of ‘strays’ are also actually owned animals which have been handed in by their owners.
The good news is that 608 lost pets were reunited with their families through our Lost and Found department, and we successfully rehomed 752 animals to new loving forever homes. Although we are relieved that we did not experience the same decrease in adoptions as in the previous reporting period, we will never be satisfied until we significantly increase this number. We remain eternally thankful to those who chose to adopt a pet rather than support a breeder and our hope is that this approach, paired with the message of sterilisation, will spread throughout our communities sooner than later. As it is our philosophy to not just wait for handouts, but to also put in place active income-streams of our own, our dog Boarding facility plays an important role in boosting the Animal Care Centre’s financial resources. Although there was a decrease in boarding income over the past financial year, the facility still managed to bring in over R234 000. We are looking forward to an upgraded boarding
come rain or shine, and the handful of wonderful cat-lovers who regularly visit the cattery to pamper and cuddle our feline friends. Last, but definitely not least, we thank the conscientious and hardworking staff who are the backbone of this department. With their love and compassion we are able to provide our dogs and cats with a warm caring and loving environment to live in during their stay at the SPCA. Our priorities for the year ahead l To streamline marketing and awareness plans to boost adoption numbers. l To finalise plans and secure funding for the upgrade and refurbishment of our Animal Care Centre facilities.
Statistics facility being built in the near future and are confident that we will be able to attract many more boarders. In addition to financial resources, human resources in a high care facility such as ours is key. We accordingly extend our gratitude to our dedicated volunteers who walk our dogs everyday
Admissions Stray dogs Stray cats Surrendered dogs Surrendered cats Adopted Lost animals claimed
2013/2014 16 818 4 022 3 044 6 576 3 176 752 608
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Education Our award-winning Ani-Pals Education Programme sees three dedicated education officers take humane education to thousands of Grade 3-5 learners across Cape Town. During the past year they reached 13 395 learners from 109 schools, teaching them about the importance of properly caring for their pets, and creating awareness about the seriousness of animal cruelty that it is not only inhumane, but also an offence punishable by law. The programme also places a strong focus on domestic animal sterilisation. To this end 11 of the above-mentioned schools participated in an extended programme, the Ani-Pal Mobile Clinic Programme, whereby learners were also given the opportunity to have their pets sterilised, thus preventing thousands of unwanted puppies and kittens from being born. This extended programme was specifically presented at schools from poorer communities in Mitchell’s Plain,
Gugulethu, Square Hill, Macassar, Khayelitsha, Nyanga and Manenberg; reached 4223 learners; and sterilised 462 cats and dogs. The education team again participated in what have become annual events, namely the Youth Environmental Schools Programme presented during Biodiversity Week, and World Animal Week. These events not only allow the team access to even more schools, but also offer much needed fundraising opportunities. Our education initiatives are not only limited to classrooms though and the team engaged with local communities on a regular basis as part of holiday and outreach programmes. During these outreach activities the members of the education team immerse themselves in the community, its people and its animal-related needs. Their true commitment to helping and educating, as opposed to judging and reprimanding, has gained them
“All living things require nurturing, care and respect” - this is the premise from which our education team has, for the past decade, strived to impact positively on the attitudes of our youth in the hope that they would become responsible adults who exude empathy and compassion for all living creatures.
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respect and trust, enabling them to effectively teach and advise about the health and welfare of pets, and the positive impact proper care can have on the community as a whole: healthy animals mean healthy families. A further 213 sterilisations were brought in through holiday and outreach programmes, resulting in an overall increase of 8% on total sterilisations achieved by the education team as compared to the previous financial year. The highlight for the education team this past year was the recognition received for the Ani-Pals’ Education Programme through a prestigious Silver Award for Excellence at the 2013 Impumelelo Social Innovation Awards These awards acknowledge the hard work of individuals and organisations that make it their mission to improve the lives of South Africans, and Ani-Pals is humbled to be honoured in this way. The award was accompanied by a cash donation of R20 000 sponsored by the Distell Foundation, for which we were very grateful. We also wish to extend our gratitude to Airports Company South Africa, Cape Town International (ACSA, CTI) for providing significant funding with which to further the Ani-Pals reach and impact.
Our priorities for the year ahead: l To become involved in Mass Participation, Opportunity and Development (MOD) Centres at schools. These centres, introduced and managed by the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, have been set up primarily in poorer communities and at schools that have few, if any, sports and/or cultural facilities. The idea is to give children opportunities for participation in wholesome activities outside of normal school hours and in so doing reduce the risks of these children becoming involved in destructive activities that could compromise their futures. The SPCA believes that education should be holistic and that humane education should form a vital component of such activities. Our goal is to engage in the development and funding of a humane high school and adult curriculum based programme that will be beneficial to learners at these MOD Centres. l Extend our range of educational leaflets and posters on pet care and health that are used to inform pet owners reached through the SPCA’s education team, animal care centre, mobile clinics and hospital.
Statistics Learners reached Schools visited Animals sterilised
2013/2014 13 395 109 675
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Fundraising and Communications Fundraising within the South African non-profit landscape remains extremely challenging as the business community continues to lag behind its international counterparts in terms of corporate giving. This is compounded by policies within commercial as well as government structures that consistently place animal welfare matters as lowest priority on the giving list. Although our Society does not receive any government funding, we are thankful to be located in a city where the local regime seems to be more forward-thinking with regards to domestic animal well-being, and we extend our gratitude to the City of Cape Town for providing generous funding specifically earmarked for mass sterilisation projects during the year under review. Loyal corporate donors who came to the fore and supported us in our commitment to act for all animals, included PicknPay, Woolworths, Checkers, Nestle Purina, Royal Canin, Hills Pet Nutrition, ABAX Investments, Cipla Vet (PTY) LTD, Bayer (PTY) LIMITED, Cape Union Mart, New Balance, Boland Printers, Canal Walk Foundation, and MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet. We are gratified by the confidence these companies place in our ability to
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responsibly use their funding, and extend our heartfelt thanks to each and every business who supported us last year - also not forgetting those who provided much needed pro bono services such as Mustard Marketing, DigitalPro, Medialist, Formeset, Tamed & Framed Photography and DesirĂŠ Kohn Photography. Even with the backing of the aforementioned, the burden of support for the most part still fell on individual members of the public. We continued to nurture our relationships with supporters through our PawPatrol and e-newsletters, our bi-annual Footprints magazine, media channels, networking events and online platforms. This past year saw our following on Facebook grow by 50% and on Twitter by 40%, while our web site received approximately 116 000 unique visitors, showing growth of 45%.
In keeping with our fundraising strategy of utilising multiple income streams in order to achieve our operational targets, we offered many ways in which animal-lovers could join our efforts and support us.
Accordingly thousands of Capetonians stepped up by donating money, contributing gifts in kind, attending our various events, taking on challenge fundraising, supporting us through our various retail channels, and offering their time and skills as volunteers. To this end we saw monthly donors increase by 17,4% and donations in response to our mail appeals bringing in a nett profit of R2 171 000, surpassing expectations by 22%. Web site donations grew by 53% with 2046 donors bringing in R555 927. With the support of a loyal customer base behind us, our retail endeavours grew from strength to strength. The Charity Shop increased revenue by 13% to R587 150 while the Book Shop also increased their income by 12%. The Vet Shops saw the expansion of the Grassy Park store with a resulting steady growth in sales due to us being able to stock a wider variety of pet products at affordable prices. Plans are in place to develop these premises even more as part of the SPCA expansion in 2015. The Plumstead and Grassy Park Vet Shops ended the financial year with a combined growth in profit of 19%.
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Other key outcomes for the year under review included: l The SPCA went mobile with the launch of its Connecto contact and news application. l Our popular annual Mutt and Meow of the Year Competition saw 209 dogs and cats vie for the titles and raise R32 000 in the process.
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Challenge Fundraising really took off this year with animal-lovers taking up all kinds of sporting events and challenges in a bid to raise funds for our Society. In one instance a 12-year old boy climbed Kilimanjaro and raised more than R20 000. Our biggest campaigns had 140 cyclists and 64 runners take up the Cape Argus Cycle Tour and the Two Oceans Marathon respectively. Together all our challenge fundraisers raised R607 000, an increase of 46% compared to the previous year. The annual Wiggle Waggle and Woefie Wandel walkathons saw a combined number of 2950 walkers and 2100 dogs take to the streets in aide of the SPCA and raised R125 000 and R105 000 respectively. 377 supporters planned for our future by being part of our Bequest Society and remembering us in their wills We were generously supported by 56 Trusts and Foundations that provided us with R2 719 354. In-store collection tins provided astounding returns with a 40% increase on the previous year and R612 036 collected. Supporters made a point of shopping for a cause
and through MySchool MyPlanet contributed more than R200 000 to the care of needy animals. l In times when supporters are weary about committing to donations over the telephone, the telesales based Tails Up Club Competition still managed a slow growth rate of 2% per month, and brought in nett income of R167 000. We are thankful for the successes achieved during 2013/2014, and humbled by the unwavering backing of our supporters. One only needs to look at the statistics provided throughout the rest of this report, to see how every donation was used responsibly to the benefit of sick, injured, abandoned, lost and abused animals, as well as pet owners across the Cape Metropole who consistently require our assistance. But there is much work still to be done, and will be for a long time yet to come. The sustainability of this Society therefore remains our primary concern and we - driven by our passion for animals - will continue to spread awareness, educate, and raise funds so that our inspectors, care workers and veterinary staff can bring to fulfillment our mission to prevent cruelty to all living creatures.
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Treasurer’s Report The 2014 financial year can best be described as reasonably successful. The highlights include the following: l The further reduction in our operating deficit through a combination of revenue growth and strict cost control without in any way compromising on our level of care and the competence of our professional staff complement. l Although bequest income in this financial year was substantially lower than a usual year we were still able to grow our reserve assets through judicious investment and capital growth achieved on these assets. The 2014 financial disappointments and challenges that confront the Society are as follows: l The loss of funding for our Horse Care Unit from the Western Cape Equine Trust resulted in that unit running at a substantial deficit and we are currently working hard to find alternative sources of funding for it. l The struggle we have had with the City of Cape Town to contribute in any way to the costs of providing a Pound Service which the City
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acknowledges it is constitutionally required to provide, yet incapable of doing itself. Despite several meetings with the highest levels of City authorities we have been unable to secure any funding in the 2014 year, although we continue to persevere and are hopeful that in time these efforts will prove fruitful and a constructive partnership can be forged.
achieved for the animals under our care. It is envisioned to be a world class facility and which will set the standard for environmentally enriched, biosecure domestic animal housing facilities. We look forward to sharing more about this project with our supporters in the year ahead and to delivering it within our limited financial budget.
As we look ahead to the 2015 financial year we plan to take another step on our journey to operational breakeven. But undoubtedly the most exciting news is that on the back of the growth in our reserves, the Board has authorised the final step in our decade long capital expenditure program – the reconstruction and extension of our cat and dog boarding, adoption, quarantine and holding facilities, as well as the building of a charity shop facility and renovation of the adoption centre. This is by far the largest and most ambitious capital project that the organisation has tackled and we are all very excited about the tremendous improvements that will be
Anthony Sedgwick Treasurer May 2014
Analysis of net assets for the year ending 31 March 2014
Analysis of Income and Expenditure 2013/14 R’000
2012/13 R’000
Fixed assets
15305
14891
Investments
74454
69500
Total Fixed Assets
89759
84391
747
686
Accounts receivable Stock on hand
327
284
Cash in bank and in hand
951
4129
Cash on call
4462
1709
Total Current Assets
6487
6808
Creditors
2599
3258
0
0
Overdraft utilised Net Current Assets less current liabilities
3888
3550
93647
87941
58197
57493
Analysis of funds Retained income Revaluation reserve
35450
30448
Accumulated funds
93647
87941
INCOME Education Boarding and Adoptions National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund Comms & Resource Dev Horse care Unit Hospital Inspectorate Investments Vetshop Trusts BEQUESTS EXPENSES Administration Depreciation and Insurance Boarding and Adoptions Education Comms & Resource Dev Horse Care Unit Hospital Inspectorate Maintenance Mobile Clinics Vetshop Wildlife
2013/14 R’000
2012/13 R’000
283 1,146 746 7,974 367 3,078 408 2,317 3,615 2,715 22,649
163 1,630 - . 6,561 805 2,592 335 2,036 3,074 2,401 19,597
3,547
12,910
2013/14 2,228 597 2,583 475 4,092 1,020 5,436 3,205 230 1,048 3,297 803 25,014
2012/13 2,705 463 2,461 537 3,899 1,013 5,086 2,629 289 740 2,620 731 23,173
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United against animal cruelty Bequests and Trusts provide a much needed source of income for major projects, as well as financial security for the future of our Society. Therefore, although we are sincerely grateful for all the donations we receive, we do wish to acknowledge in particular, the gifts received from the following Bequest Donors, Trusts and Foundations. Bequests
Mitchell, Erika Gertrude
Bock, Selma Ida
Nawratski, Ellen
Bookless, Norma Hedwig
Rathfelder, John Otto Macfarlane
De Bie, Johanna Christina
De Graaff, Prof. Andries Samuel Reyneke, Thealeza Jacqueline Smit, Amy Andrewetta Duncan, Prudence Graeme
Trusts and Foundations
H. Wisdom Trust
Stavros Tsatsos Trust
AG Fairclough Trust
H.S. Forrest Charitable Trust
The Dangwen Trust
AWE Larpent Charitable Trust
Hans Hoheisen Charitable Trust
The David Graaff Foundation
Azriel and Moyra Fine Foundation
Hendrina Joyce Trust Fund
The E.R. Tonnesen Will Trust
IR Burrows Charitable Trust
The Good Faith Foundation
Bob Langham-Carter Memorial Trust
Jesse Graham Memorial Foundation
The Harry Crossley Foundation
Brian and Mira Robinson Charitable Trust
Joan Walton Charitable Trust
CA Jones Will Trust
Loewenstein Trust No. 2
CA Mabin Trust
Lorenzo & Stella Chiappini Trust
C.D. Robertson & M. Howie Trust
Lou Orr Trust
The MC Davis Trust
Lynette Croudace Charitable Fund
The M.L. Flarry Trust
Stripp, Margaret Shirley
C.S. Boulton Trust
Glass, Pamela Marcia
Towers, Moira Isobel May
Colin John Campbell Trust
Gleeson, Patricia
Trewick, Gloria June
Gregorowski, Katherin MB
Tulipan, Sylvia
Hugo, Catherina Kershaw, Eileen Jessie
Van Rhyn, Maria Johanna Jacoba
Kotze, Ellen Helena Johanna
Finsen, Anne
The Hyman Goldberg Foundation
Leo and Patricia Fine Foundation The Jawan Trust The Lily Ashton Charitable Trust
The MRF Brun Trust The Willmott Trust
Diane Kaplan Charitable Trust
Margaret Joyce Stern Charitable Trust
Douglas Jooste Trust
Marjorie Cook Will Trust
Vera Glegg Charitable Trust
Dr. Sunshine Charitable Trust
Mauerberger Foundation Fund
VWG Stone Will Trust
P.S. Policansky Trust
W and J Weise Charitable Trust
Wiese, Maria
Edward Daniels Charitable Trust
R. Lewin Will Trust
Lindop, Margaret Isabel
Williams, Mary
W.A. Currey Trust
EVM Dyer Will Trust FG Pay Trust
Rolf-Stephen Nussbaum Foundation
Western Cape Equine Trust
Madden, Kathleen Mary
Williamson, Shirley Barbara
Merand, Verdun
Yates, Victory Henry
GM Pilcher Will Trust
Sheila Dakin Charitable Trust
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The Yates Charitable Trust
WMH Tichy Trust
SPCA Directors and Management Patrons The Honourable Premier of the Western Cape, Helen Zille Executive Mayor of the City of Cape Town, Alderman Patricia de Lille South African Rugby Union General Manager, Rassie Erasmus Ambassadors Horse Care Unit Ambassador: SA Equestrian Paralympian, Philippa Johnson Wildlife Unit Ambassador: Environmental Campaigner, Lewis Pugh Office Bearers Chairman Dr Theodore Shippey Vice-Chairman Miss Christabel Geland Treasurer Mr Anthony Sedgwick Secretary Mr Henry Fabe
Directors Dr Theodore Shippey Miss Christabel Geland Mr Henry Fabe Mr Anthony Sedgwick Dr Gininda Msiza Dr John Oakley Advocate Phil Snijman Miss Nocamagu Mbulawa Management Team Chief Executive Officer Mr Allan Perrins Inspectorate, Horse and Farm Animal Unit Manager Mr Moyo Ndukwana Communications, Resource Development and Education Manager Mrs Lise-Marie Greeff-Villet Wildlife Unit Manager Mr Brett Glasby Hospital Manager Mr Keith Evans Animal Centre Manager Mrs Margie Ainscow Accountant Mr Darryl Burt
General Information Registration number 1939/013624/08 (incorporated Association Not for Gain) Fundraising Number 003-244 NPO Public Benefit Organisation Number 930004317
Contact Information Cnr 1st Avenue and First Road Grassy Park, Cape Town Tel:
021-700 4140
Fax:
0866 7433 56
Web: www.spca-ct.co.za
Bank details Cape of Good Hope SPCA Bank:
Standard Bank
Acc no: 0718 32858 Branch: Constantia
Email: enquiries@spca-ct.co.za
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Cape of Good Hope
TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE You can help the Cape of Good Hope SPCA by: l l l l l l l l l l l
Leaving a legacy in your will Making a regular donation direct from your bank account * Making a once-off donation * Adopting an animal into your home Buying your pet food and pet care products from SPCA Vet Shops Becoming a volunteer Donating unwanted items to our charity shop Donating gifts in kind Becoming a sponsor and/or partner in our fundraising initiatives Joining Team SPCA to be part of challenge fundraising Using your MyPlanet loyalty card to dedicate funds to our SPCA
* Financial donations are tax deductible and we will gladly provide you with a tax certificate on request.