FOUR PAWS has called for more awareness this International Homeless Animal Day.
International Homeless Animals Day is observed on August 15, and animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS is calling on South Africans and local government to recognise that responsible pet guardianship remains the most effective way to address the country’s escalating stray animal crisis.
While shelters and rescue organisations continue to work tirelessly to care for abandoned and homeless animals, FOUR PAWS warns that sustainable progress will only be achieved by addressing the root causes of animal homelessness, including uncontrolled breeding, abandonment, limited access to sterilisation services, and a lack of education around responsible pet care.
According to recent data from Statistics South Africa’s General Household Survey, 74 million dogs are owned by 4.2 million households, while 1.3 million households own a total of 2 million cats.
Director of FOUR PAWS South Africa, Fiona Miles, said this marks the first credible and verifiable national dataset on owned companion animal populations in South Africa and provides an important foundation for evidence-based animal population management.
