PET STERILISATION IN CAPE TOWN NOW COMPULSORY

The City of Cape Town has announced that it is now compulsory for all pets six months and older to be sterilised.

The Animal Keeping By-law stipulates that, unless a pet owner obtains a permit from the City for the “keeping, breeding, or selling any animal within the scope of business or economic activities” all dogs and cats will have to be sterilised.

According to News24, City said residents who didn’t want their pets to be sterilised must apply for a permit.

“An application to keep an unsterilised animal must be in writing on a prescribed form, in accordance with relevant City Policies and Standard Operating Procedures and must be accompanied by the prescribed fee.”

The new by-law has been welcomed by animal welfare organisations. Belinda Abraha, from the Cape of Good Hope SPCA said they were delighted with the newly introduced by-law.

“The SPCA has been and remains under significant pressure resulting from the numbers of stray and unwanted animals coming into our facility daily. We are already expecting a minimum of 2000 animal between now and January.”

Image credit: Good Hope Volunteers