Shame on you Alberton SPCA

I'd like to take this opportunity to let Alberton SPCA know my thoughts on them.

After having losing 2 of our beloved pets to old age in one year, leaving one old man behind by himself (a 13 y/o old Pekinese), we decided to get him a friend, and us a new companion.

We wanted to do the right thing. Let's get a rescue, and let's get an old timer, a doggo who is unlikely to get sapped up, and make the last years of his life blissfully beautiful.

We spotted the old guy in this post and we were sold. And off we went to Alberton SPCA, Gauteng.

We were met by a young man who was clearly on a power trip. Mr "my way or the highway". I have managed many staff in my life, and I recognise an egotistical narcissist when I see one. He seemed to feel very powerful managing the front desk of an SPCA.

"Do you rent or own a house?", we were asked. “We rent”, we answered. “Well, you do not qualify to take one of our dogs”, Mr Powertrip rep****. “Why”, I asked. “Because we have too many renters bringing dogs back to us”, he scoffed at us. “And even if you were eligible, you are expected to bring your other animals and children to do a meet-and-greet. Only then will we decide if you qualify to take one of our animals”, Mr Powerful said as he spoke down to us from his elevated platform behind his all-powerful front desk.

Of course I started questioning this. I proposed that people rent for different reasons. Renting does not automatically imply that one is unstable. “Yes, but we need to track the animals”, we were told. Well yes, but people who own homes also move. They also surrender their dogs. I have even known of wicked homeowners that have emigrated, leaving their pets behind in an empty house.

Naturally, I went onto the SPCA’s main website and no such “rule” exists. The seems to be a rule implemented by Alberton SPCA.

Again, simply because you rent, does not mean that you cannot care for an animal. I’d be interested in seeing data, actual stats, on which this decision has been made. How about asking some questions like how many houses have you lived in over the last 10 years. In our case it has been 2, the latest, rental, having been for 3 years. How about a discussion and a home inspection. Speak to our neighbours if you like.

Surely even if you have some returns in a year, you will still, with due care and diligence, home a greater number of unwanted animals. And surely this is just pushing people wanting pets in the direction of buying puppies. And we know where that leads.

Of course, Mr PowerTrip would hear none of it. “You can take it up with my manager”, he said. I left my number and of course, I have not heard back. This does to an extent explain Mr Powerful’s attitude. Leadership starts at the top.

All I can say is that we would have loved to rescue this old doggo. We would have loved and cherished him.

Shame on you Alberton SPCA. You are doing your animals a disservice.