Durban - Every week, on page 4, the Independent on Saturday prints a short list of animal rescue or welfare bodies we encourage our readers to support.
We regularly tell heart warming stories of the incredible work done by our SPCAs, cat feeders in and around the city, the Centre for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife and organisations like 4 Paws and a Tale in Scottburgh.
These organisations are made up of people who care deeply about protecting those without a voice. They see incomprehensible cruelty and abuse to animals and keep going, saving lives and rehabilitating the hurt where possible. In the worst cases, they must euthanise them to ease them from their pain.
Some betray those principles.
The teams that responded to anonymous pleas for help and raided a so-called shelter came upon a scene of animal death and despair.
Once police had served a search warrant, these team members put aside their own trauma and pain to wade in to the rescue.
They found dead dogs and puppies. Some were injured, apparently in their bid to find food and fresh water. Some were near death, and at least one had to be euthanised. A dead rat was found in one of the few water bowls, most others empty or green and foul.
Our reporter has described the overwhelming scene. She has also told of gentleness, even for a dog who felt no more.
The immensity of this horror is, thankfully, not a regular occurrence.
Having struggled through the terrible economic crisis brought about by the Covid pandemic, many of these reputable organisations have found ways to sustain their work on a shoestring. They still rescue those in need and try to find safe, loving homes for the unwanted, abandoned and abused, or heal them and release them into the wild.
Many of these havens can only do the work they do with the help and financial support of kind, caring, animal-loving people and corporates.
So we urge you: please keep supporting trusted animal welfare organisations. They step in when others, for whatever reason, fail in their duties.
The Independent on Saturday