Unwanted, unloved, uncared for dogs and puppies are ubiquitous in SA, especially along the north Eastern Cape coast.
Shelters are either overpopulated or non-existent in this countrySA, and dogs are left to wander the streets, facing starvation, cold, disease and potential abuse.
SA may well be worse than many countries in this regard, but a small township adjacent to Gxarha (formerly Morgan Bay), iGxarha, has over the past two years made considerable strides towards the alleviation of these animals’ suffering.
iGxarha is seeing this remarkable transformation, not due to major projects or large-scale investments, but through a small yet effective dog sterilisation initiative run by a handful of Gxarha and iGxarha locals.
The global statistics are shocking: one unspayed female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies in just six years.
Furthermore, the bodily damage endured by a female dog bearing a litter of puppies twice a year is unspeakable and inhumane.
For years, iGxarha has grappled with the challenges of stray and neglected dogs and uncontrolled breeding.
“These dogs were a common sight,” iGxarha resident Nomvula Qeqe said.
“Some people wanted to help, but without resources and knowledge, they couldn’t do much.”
But then, two years ago, a sterilisation project in iGxarha was spearheaded by a small but dedicated group of animal welfare volunteers from both communities.
“We wanted to find a sustainable solution to a persistent problem and, while feeding them is kind, it simply perpetuates the overpopulation problem,” one of the principal founders of the project, Antoinette McInnes said, adding it “exponentially multiplies the numbers of puppies that have nothing but a wretched life ahead of them, if even that”.
The initiative was conceived in early 2021 during Covid-19, and three years of no outreach vets being able to be involved during that period led to an almost insurmountable backlog of unsterilised dogs and a plethora of suffering puppies.
After Covid, a spayathon held in iGxarha’s Community Hall was the first course of action and required considerable input from community members.
The financial outlay came to R50,000 to cover the vets’ and their assistants’ needs, as well to transform the hall into a suitable, sterile, well-lit venue.
The money was donated by local Morgan Bay businesses and private donors too many to name.
The event was well-advertised, and both community volunteers and dog owners appeared in their droves, resulting in more than 120 dogs being sterilised in one weekend, with those dogs too young for sterilisation at the time being done six months later.
None of this would have been possible without veterinarian Roger Davies, co-owner of Wild Coast Vet, who brought vets, veterinarian students and volunteer organisations on board to ensure as many dogs as possible could be sterilised.
Extra vets from as far as Port Alfred were even called on so that no dog would be left untreated.
In addition, since the spayathon, volunteers have been taking dogs to Wild Coast Vet on a regular basis.
This is an hour’s drive away and has brought the total number of dogs sterilised so far to more than 200.
The funding has come in the form of a monthly quiz, which has been fun and well-supported, courtesy of the free venue of the Morgan Bay Bowling Club.
Local businesses and individuals have donated generous prizes, and special thanks must be given to Elmore Deutchman and Code Blue Monitoring for substantial monthly donations, as well as to Morgan Bay resident Alan Forrester, who magnanimously doubles what is made each quiz night.
Anonymous donations have bolstered the coffer tremendously, as have all kinds of efforts such as raffles, second-hand clothes sales — basically anything that could contribute.
The impact of the sterilisation project is already being felt throughout iGxarha.
There are virtually no reports of dogs or puppies suffering from malnutrition or untreated illnesses any more.
Most importantly, the number of unwanted puppies has dwindled to almost zero.
As we head towards summer, the evidence of the project’s success couldn’t be more obvious, as in the years before the spayathon, there would at this time of year be a burgeoning of puppies that, if they survived their infancy, would ultimately add to the population of uncared for and malnourished strays.
Instead, there is not a single litter of puppies in iGxarha in 2024.
It is hoped the success of the project will catch the attention of neighbouring communities which, though they have mostly far larger townships, also have larger support bases, so it’s not impossible to make an impact.
The small but successful project in iGxarha is testament to the power of grassroots action and the profound impact that can result from even the most modest beginnings and, most importantly, community collaboration, which has been the backbone of the success of this project.
As social justice pioneer Mahatma Gandhi famously said: “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
This truly reflects the idea that how a society treats its most vulnerable, including animals, is a pivotal barometer of its justice and ethical advancement.
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