Society's priorities not right

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INSTEAD of crucifying the blogger and calling this person the hooligan of the day, why don't you stop for a moment and think about what was said ("Search on for blogger in animal deaths row", February 5). Let's highlight only three things, as per the AWS financial year ended March 31 last year:

• Motor vehicle running costs – R128839, which equates to R10737 per month;

• Dog food – R47457, which equates to R3954 per month;

• Staff salaries – R1520949, which equates to R126745.75 per month.

Clearly, your priorities are far south from where they should be. With the recent employment of even more staff members plus additional wage increases, I guess there's even less funds available for the animals and even more souls will lose their lives.

The Animal Welfare Society was created for the welfare of animals – not people!

For almost a year now, I and other fellow animal lovers and volunteers have repeatedly raised the same issues. There were mom and pups swimming in their own excrement (of this I have proof) – clearly parvo virus, etc is of no concern.

Your quarantine unit should be spotless clean – again, dogs were, on most days, living among their own excrement. Clearly, again, distemper, etc was of no concern.

There they were locked up for four weeks at a time. For four weeks they lived in cramped spaces with no human interaction – in fact, no exercise whatsoever.

At 3 in the afternoon, there was no water in sight in any bowls.

There are five basic freedoms, which should at all times apply: freedom from hunger and thirst, from discomfort, from pain, injury or disease, to express normal behaviour and from fear and distress.

At any given month, 20 to 50 dogs were euthanased. Again, for most of last year, I have proof of this.

I've had to learn to accept that euthanasia at most organisations is regrettably unavoidable, but before you kill them, can you honestly say that you've done everything humanly possible to find those dogs homes?

The number one priority of a welfare organisation (NPO) is to respect and uphold its mandated constitution which its application as a welfare organisation was lodged. The word "welfare" creates an expectation – one of caring for animals in need.

Albert Einstein said: "The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." I and others have chosen not to look the other way.

Until every cage is empty, we will fight. Until every soul is free, we will fight. Until there is no suffering, we will fight.