AHAWE

24/08/2026

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10/08/2026

Please take note of the following

Greater eShowe area:

A cow has tested positive for rabies in the deeply rural Nkandla municipality. When we see rabies in livestock, this is very often an indication of a bigger problem than meets the eye, and this is exactly the situation here. This animal would have contracted rabies from the bite of a rabid dog in the area.

Please ensure your family – especially your children and domestic employees are rabies aware. If a child is old enough to talk, they are old enough to learn to tell an adult about ANY encounter with a strange animal. Most human rabies deaths are in children. Do you know that a wound resulting in a single drop of blood is sufficient for the transmission of rabies. Such a small wound often goes unnoticed.

We are anticipating a significant increase in rabies in KwaZulu Natal in the coming months. You can help us by ensuring your pets are vaccinated. Protect them; protect your family.

21/07/2026

Workshop 4 of our national prosecutor programme was held in the Eastern Cape last week.

Prosecutors at every level joined us for the session, from Aspirant Prosecutors to seasoned Public Prosecutors, working through some of the most complex areas of animal protection law: the Animals Protection Act, animal fighting, be******ty, injuries caused by animals, diversion, and plea and sentence bargaining. The range of experience in the room made for substantive discussion, and we were glad to welcome a colleague from the Animal Anti-Cruelty League Port Elizabeth, who joined us for the day.

Each session in this series builds on the last. Our goal is to ensure that prosecutors who encounter animal cruelty matters on the court roll are prepared to deal with them - thoroughly, confidently, and with an understanding of what the law demands.

These workshops are provided free of charge to the National Prosecuting Authority. We are grateful to Airlink for their continued flight assistance, and to Southern Sun for providing complimentary accommodation for our trainers. Their support makes it possible to bring this training to prosecutors across the country.

More sessions to come. 🐾

To support the NSPCA's work: nspca.co.za/donate

08/07/2026

Animal welfare law is often described as a niche area of legal practice.

The way a legal system protects animals says a great deal about the values that underpin it. It reflects how legislation, public policy and the courts respond to questions of responsibility, stewardship and the public interest. Those questions rarely exist in isolation. They intersect with environmental governance, agriculture, wildlife conservation, administrative decision-making and constitutional principles.

That is what makes this area of law so significant.

In South Africa, the legal framework governing animal welfare has developed over many decades. While legislation remains central to that framework, the courts have also contributed to its evolution. In 2016, the Constitutional Court, in National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals v Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development and Another, recognised the constitutional significance of animal welfare and its close relationship with environmental protection. The judgment reinforced the idea that animal welfare is not an isolated legal concern, but one that forms part of South Africa's broader constitutional framework.

The most interesting areas of law are often those that require us to balance competing interests without losing sight of the values that brought the law into existence in the first place.

These matters are seldom confined to a single statute or a single dispute. They often require an understanding of how different areas of law interact, how public bodies exercise their powers, and how competing rights and interests are balanced.

It is an area of law that reminds us that legal systems do more than resolve disputes. They provide the framework within which society balances competing interests and reflects the values it chooses to uphold.

08/07/2026

Three men are facing charges after Senior Inspector Sparky responded to a call from SAPS about an illegal hunt with dogs in the North West.

Last week, SAPS called Senior Inspector Sparky to Piet Plessis, a small village in the North West. There, she found three men with their dogs, who had been used to hunt. The dogs had chased down and killed a warthog.

All three dogs were surrendered to the NSPCA, and the three suspects were arrested. They were charged with hunting illegally, as well as animal cruelty.

Hunting with dogs is organised crime, and we cannot stop it alone. These arrests are possible when authorities work together. Our sincere thanks to South African Police Service for the call and the partnership.

Seen people hunting with dogs in your area? Report it to your nearest SPCA or local SAPS.

08/07/2026

DNA evidence has secured a conviction against a North West man for animal cruelty.

In June 2025, Mr Victor Moemedi Letsogo of Makgobistad was arrested after brutally beating a goat to death. The attack was so severe that the goat's eyes were dislodged from their sockets.

Mr Letsogo initially denied any involvement and never produced the sjambok he used. The investigation matched blood found on his trousers to the beaten goat through DNA analysis, and that forensic link was crucial in securing his conviction.

On 24 June 2026, the Court found Mr Letsogo guilty of animal cruelty. He was sentenced to a fine of R10,000 or 12 months' imprisonment, wholly suspended for three years on condition that he is not convicted of animal cruelty during that period. The Court also declared him unfit to possess a firearm and barred him from owning any animal in terms of Section 3 of the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962.

It took a year, but Senior Inspector Sparky did not stop pushing for this conviction. Crimes against animals are serious offences, and they must be brought before the Court.

Senior Inspector Sparky is grateful to everyone who helped secure justice: Magistrate Spandiel, who presided over the matter, Prosecutor Tlhapi, and Investigating Officer Detective Warrant Officer Magalakwe.

If you see animal cruelty, report it to your nearest SPCA.

Help us keep fighting cruelty like this. Please consider donating.

👉🏽 https://nspca.co.za/donate/

08/07/2026

Dear Residents of Brakpan and Surrounding Areas,

We are reaching out to you today with heavy hearts, but also with a profound sense of urgency. We are pleading with you to truly hear us.

Lately, the Brakpan SPCA has been inundated with heartbreaking calls. Innocent pets, including beloved family cats, and local wild birds are being targeted, shot, and severely injured or killed. We are receiving horrific reports from suburbs right across our town of animals being used as literal target practice.

We want to be open with you: our requests are real, and the evidence we gather daily cannot be ignored. The research, the veterinary x-rays showing pellets lodged in spines, the shattered bones, and the lifeless bodies of family pets brought to our doors are painful, undeniable facts.

But we cannot fix this alone. The SPCA shouldn’t always be left to clean up the horrific aftermath of choices made by people in our own community. We shouldn't be the ones constantly picking up the broken pieces of a problem that shouldn't exist in the first place. Lasting change cannot just happen at our shelter; it must start with you, the residents, in your homes and down your streets.

The "My Yard, My Rules" Myth: Private Property is Not Exempt
We need to address a dangerous misconception: the belief that because you are within the boundaries of your own private property, you can act however you want. This is simply not true. Owning or renting a home does not grant you immunity from the laws of South Africa. Your property boundary line does not block national legislation, and you are not exempt from criminal prosecution just because you are standing in your own garden. The law applies equally whether you are on a public street or behind your own closed gates.

Parental Responsibility: Pellet Guns are Not Toys
Furthermore, we have noted a deeply concerning trend where these airguns are bought for young children as gifts. All too often, these weapons are left lying around, completely accessible for children to do with as they please.

We urge parents to realize that a pellet gun is a dangerous weapon, not a toy. Allowing children unsupervised access to these guns is highly irresponsible. We strongly appeal to all parents to ensure that these weapons are kept locked away safely and are never accessible to children without strict, responsible adult supervision. As a parent, you are ultimately responsible for the actions of your children and the weapons you introduce into your home.

Understanding the Law: You Are in Direct Violation
To ensure everyone is fully educated, we want to state clearly what the law says about discharging an airgun (pellet gun) in our suburbs:

The Fi****ms Control Act No. 60 of 2000 (Section 120): It is a serious criminal offense to discharge an airgun in a built-up area or public place without a legally justifiable reason.

"Pest Control" is NOT a Legal Defense: Many residents mistakenly believe they are allowed to shoot wild birds, stray cats, or animals they deem "pests" on their property. The law does not recognize this. Dealing with a nuisance animal is never a legally acceptable "good reason" to fire a weapon in a residential suburb.

The Animals Protection Act No. 71 of 1962: Cruelty to animals is a straight criminal offense. Anyone found to be intentionally targeting, injuring, or killing an animal with a pellet gun faces criminal prosecution.

Ekurhuleni Municipal By-laws: Local municipal laws strictly prohibit the discharging of any weapon—including pellet guns, BB guns, and gas guns—within residential zones.

A Call to Action for the Brakpan Community
We are truly disappointed that members of our town are acting with such recklessness. This behavior is unacceptable, inhumane, and it must come to an immediate end. The Brakpan SPCA will actively investigate these cases, and where perpetrators can be identified, we will press criminal charges to the fullest extent of the law.

To the Community: We need your eyes and ears. If you hear a pellet gun being fired, see someone targeting animals, or if your own pet comes home injured, please report it immediately and ensure your pet gets veterinary help immediately. Try to gather evidence, such as photographs, videos, or the specific address of the perpetrator.

Please, let us work together to bring back kindness and safety to Brakpan. We are doing everything we can, but we need our residents to stand up, take responsibility, and help us protect those who cannot speak for themselves.

Yours faithfully,

The Brakpan SPCA

𝗧𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗲𝗹𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗴𝘂𝗻 𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹𝘀, 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘂𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆:

Whatsapp: 071 695 3458

Emergency Line: 083 696 9052 (Calls Only)

Email: [email protected]

𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐆𝐀𝐋 𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐆𝐔𝐍𝐒 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐁𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐀𝐏𝐒.

07/07/2026

Our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the victim.

AHAWE oppose the perpetuation of the "gameness trait" in any domestic dog.

A 28-year-old woman was tragically killed by three pit bulls in Woodlands on Friday. Her body was found on the side of the road at the corner of Atherstone and Norwich Crescent. She succumbed to injuries sustained in the attack.
Read on https://tinyurl.com/5evzpary