The animal clinic aims to curb a growing pet population of about 300 000 — many of which are not sterilised — in Khayelitsha.
Cat and dog populations in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, are skyrocketing as myths and backyard breeding prevent owners from sterilising pets.
In places where a large number of pets are not sterilised, a female dog, its mate and unsterilised offspring can produce 67 000 puppies in just six years, according to Marcelle du Plessis, fundraising and communications executive at Mdzananda. For cats, the number is about 66 000 kittens.
This is why the Mdzananda Animal Clinic in Khayelitsha launched its satellite sterilisation clinic in partnership with Blue Downs Animal Hospital at the start of the year.
Annually, the Mdzananda clinic sterilises about 1 500 pets, but its general manager, Heidi May, says this is not enough.
“Due to capacity [constraints] at our facility, providing medical treatment to over 1 000 animals per month, we are not able to do more. We have limited space in our operating theatre and limited veterinarians. who also need to care for all patients in our hospital and shelter.”
The satellite programme has enabled the clinic to sterilise an additional 353 animals in five months. The clinic this year received financial support from the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in Britain for the sterilising of 720 animals, but is determined to do more.
“We would like to reach more animals than the targeted 720 for this year. We can do it, but we need to source more funding to make that a reality,” said May. “We want to encourage the public to sign up as #SteriSuppawters and sponsor-a-sterilisation.”
The animal clinic aims to curb a growing pet population of about 300 000 — many of which are not sterilised — in Khayelitsha.
Du Plessis attributes the growth to unregulated backyard breeding and superstitions about animal sterilisation.
“Backyard breeding is rife as puppy and kitten sales are income generators. [It’s] a very understandable situation as so many people are without income or jobs due to our country’s economic state.”
Pitbulls as status symbol
Pitbulls in particular are in high demand because they are a status symbol in townships.
“Because pit bulls are inherently strong, they are good protectors, and in dangerous environments, one can understand why a strong dog will be desired. But it has become an enormously big situation where there are just so many of them,” notes Du Plessis.
The clinic also sees animals that carry the signs of having been used in organised dog fights.
Dr Rightwell Munyuki, the owner of Blue Downs Animal Clinic, who assists at the satellite sterilisation clinics, says backyard breeding can lead to an increase in strays.
Large pet populations that stray can cause the spread of diseases such as rabies and also the transmission of ticks and fleas.
Further to this, backyard breeding is “completely unregulated”, says Du Plessis.
“This counts for all backyard breeding, not just in townships. The breeding environment is unregulated, and animals can live in the most horrible conditions. Animals are also overbred and once the female can no longer produce, she is discarded or euthanased. At Mdzananda we’ve seen animals with vaginal prolapses come to our organisation due to overbreeding.”
In rural areas, myths also prevent residents from sterilising their pets.
“There are superstitions such as a female dog needing to produce at least one litter of puppies to be a ‘proper female’ or to be healthy,” says Du Plessis. In the case of male dogs, it is believed the male “will lose its manliness and stop protecting the home” if sterilised.
Why your pets should be sterilised
Sterilisation of pets is important, says Du Plessis, as it helps with overpopulation. Every year, millions of cats and dogs of all ages and breeds are put down or suffer as strays. These high numbers are the result of unplanned litters that could have been prevented by spaying or neutering.
Pets can live a longer and healthier life if sterilised as it helps prevent uterine infections, breast cancer — fatal in 50% of dogs and 90% of cats — and testicular cancer.
Spaying or neutering can prevent the spread of transmissible venereal tumours in dogs and feline immunodeficiency virus in cats.
A sterilised dog will not roam in order to search for a female mate. When roaming, the pet risks injury in traffic and fights with other males.
It is less expensive to sterilise a pet than to treat severe injury or cancer.
Spaying and neutering is good for the community. Stray animals can cause car accidents, damage the local fauna, transmit diseases to other pets and become victims of human abuse.
Growing pet populations can lead to animals being neglected.
Overcrowded homes and poverty can lead to poverty and neglect if people do not have the resources to care for all the animals, or abuse as they become burdens.
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