06/12/2025
Animal Abandonment Is a Crime - Especially This Festive Season
As the holidays approach, too many pets are left behind when their families travel - shut outside, locked in yards, or abandoned on the streets with no food, no water, and no way to fend for themselves.
This is not only cruel. It is a criminal offence in South Africa.
Under the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962, Section 2(1)(p), abandoning an animal - permanently or even temporarily - in circumstances likely to cause suffering is a prosecutable crime.
And the penalties are serious:
• Fines up to R40,000
• Imprisonment for up to 12 months
• A court order declaring the offender unfit to ever own an animal again
• A criminal record upon conviction
No pet should be left to starve, wander terrified, or wait at a gate for a family that isn’t coming home.
If you are travelling or unable to care for your pet this festive season, there are responsible alternatives - contact your nearest SPCA, shelter, or rescue organisation for help. Abandonment is never the answer.
If you witness Abandonment or cruelty report it immediately.
The SPCA is legally empowered with the authority of entry and seizure, meaning they can lawfully remove an animal from an abusive or dangerous situation and lay criminal charges.
In areas without an SPCA or animal welfare organisation that has the same mandate, contact SAPS to open a case.
When reporting, provide:
• Details of what you saw
• Evidence if you have it (photos, times, locations)
• Your identity will remain confidential
Be Their Voice
Animals cannot speak for themselves. We are their advocates, their protectors, and their only line of defence.
Turning a blind eye does not make one innocent - silence enables cruelty.
This festive season, let’s stand together to ensure every animal is safe, protected, and treated with the dignity they deserve.
To report cruelty: https://pulse.ly/p6bhpzkl3a
