Kouga residents have been asked to report problems related to stray or neglected domestic animals to the municipal call centre (042 200 2200, option 5).
Kouga Community Services Portfolio Councillor, Daniel Benson, said the municipality was streamlining its relationship with local animal welfare organisations.
“These organisations do an amazing job with limited resources. The municipality recently met with them to determine how we can improve our support to them.”
He said a key challenge was the vast distances these organisations sometimes had to travel to address animal-related complaints.
“This often happens because people phone the organisations directly even when they are not based in the area where the problem is.
“This then also leads to unhappiness where animals have owners, as the owners then have to travel far to collect their animals.
“We would, therefore, like to ask residents to report concerns about stray or neglected domestic animals to the municipal call centre. They will then alert the organisation that works in that area.”
He said key roleplayers were the SPCA Assisi in Humansdorp, Jeffreys Bay Animal Rescue Services and St Francis Animal Rescue.
He said residents were further asked to refrain from feeding stray animals, especially in the CBD areas.
“This draws stray animals, which then starts posing a safety and health risk to both people and the animals.”
He encouraged those who want to help feed stray animals to donate food to the recognised animal welfare organisations and to get involved.
“They know where the need is and will ensure that the food gets to where it is needed most.”
He said the municipality had established the Kouga Animal Management Committee and was busy reviewing the related policies and bylaws to support roleplayers’ efforts.
“This will go hand-in-hand with a public awareness campaign to help communities understand the role played by the various roleplayers”.
“For example, people often phone animal welfare organisations with complaints about noisy dogs while this is actually the mandate of the municipal Law Enforcement section.”
The municipal call centre can be contacted on 042 200 2200 (option 5).
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