The Hartbeespoort Animal Welfare Society (HAWS) pleads with pet owners to spay and neuter their pets.

Some of the influx of kittens surrendered to HAWS over the past weeks.

This follows a huge influx of animals, especially kittens, during the past weeks.
“Rescuers are exhausted. Shelters are full to the brim — and still, more animals keep coming in. It feels like a never-ending battle,” HAWS said.
Recently, a member of the public alerted HAWS to a painful example. One owner with four female cats, one male, and fifteen kittens, and two females were already pregnant again (with another nine kittens on the way). “That is 29 cats from one household, simply because sterilisation didn’t happen in time.”
When the owner posted online to give kittens away for free, a concerned person stepped in. After a month of negotiating with the owner, the concerned person offered to sterilise all the adult cats at her own cost if the kittens were surrendered. Thankfully, the owner finally agreed. HAWS Clinic sterilised the adults, stopping that tragic cycle in its tracks,and the kittens were surrendered. Please also never give kittens or puppies away for free. Free pets, way too often, end up in cruel, dangerous situations or are not sterilised, and so the cycle starts again. Rather surrender them to a reputable welfare organisation. They will be sterilised, cared for, and responsibly rehomed,” HAWS said.
“Each of those ‘oops’ litters grows up, breeds again, and before long, that one small mistake becomes thousands of unwanted puppies or kittens. Cats can get pregnant as early as 4 months old, and dogs as early as 6 months old. There simply aren’t enough homes. Too many end up abandoned, abused, or cruelly killed. The lucky ones make it into a shelter, but shelters are bursting at the seams.”