DURBAN - The National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) is reeling after one of its two recently dismissed Lower South Coast (LSC SPCA) committee members, was in hot water again for cruelty to animals.
NSPCA Society Liaison Unit manager Tercia Woest said following the recent dismissal of Scott Kvalsvig and Carla Steenkamp, the NSPCA had uncovered further shocking contraventions in terms of both, the Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 169 of 1993, as well as the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962.
In a statement Woest said a post-home inspection was conducted on the property of former LSC SPCA chairperson Kvalsvig because he had adopted a large number of animals from the same SPCA.
After multiple concerns were noted and warnings issued, the NSPCA together with the staff from the LSC SPCA, returned to Kvalsvig’s property under a valid warrant.
“The most shocking discovery was that of a cow who could not walk. The cow had gone down and was left in that state, without access to sufficient food, water, shelter or the attention of a qualified veterinarian for two days!” Woest said.
“According to the farm manager, her pleas to have the cow treated by a veterinarian fell on deaf ears as Kvalsig chose to treat the cow using other remedies for a stiff leg.”
Woest said while an NSPCA inspector and two inspectorate staff members from the LSC SPCA were attending to the cow, Kvalsvig was contacted.
Kvalsvig alleged that he did try to obtain the services of a veterinarian but that the veterinarian would only arrive a few hours later.
Woest said on the advice of the NSPCA inspector, Kvalsvig agreed that the cow should be humanely euthanised to prevent prolonging the suffering of the animal any further.
“A lot can be taken from the fact that, not only was an animal found seriously compromised on the ex-chairman’s property, but it also took further intervention from the NSPCA and the SPCA to prevent the animal from just being left there to deteriorate into a worse condition or die,” Woest said.
“Additional warnings were issued regarding the dirty conditions under which Kvalsvig’s bushpigs were being kept, as well as the fact that one of the SPCA cows were covered in external parasites without remedy.”
Woest said that cattle and donkeys were also removed from Kvalsig’s property after it was found that some of the animals were not sterilised. The animals that were ‘adopted’ (and allegedly not paid for by Kvalsig) are required to be sterilised as set out in the adoption contract. As a result of the unsterilised males and females being housed together, a calf was born in late 2021 - this was not reported to the SPCA.
Moreover, multiple pigs, who were homed from the SPCA to Kvalsvig, were allegedly ‘stolen’ from his property and not reported to the SPCA.
“It is rich that the NSPCA is accused of unfair treatment of these committee members, when multiple members of staff from the LSC SPCA have come forward and placed on record that they were threatened with dismissal when trying to do what was right and were demoralised,” Woest said.
She added that the former committee members took it upon themselves to reinstate an ex-employee who was previously found guilty of animal cruelty and theft by the disciplinary board of the LSC SPCA.
“Investigations pertaining to the running of LSC SPCA are still ongoing by the NSPCA, and the findings will be handled in accordance with the laws governing this movement. The NSPCA extends its sincere appreciation to the remaining employees of the LSC SPCA for their cooperation and efforts to maintain the Society properly,” Woest said.
Earlier this month, Kvalsvig issued a statement saying that on December 31, 2021, he and Steenkamp woke up to the news that they had been summarily dismissed by the NSPCA. They were no longer the chairpersons of the Uvongo SPCA.
He said the reason for their dismissal was their failure to submit the financials on time.
Daily News