I have only three days left of lazying around before I start my new job on Friday ( 1 Aug). Now the contract is signed so I suppose I can make it official: I will be an Inspector at the national SPCA (the Society of Prevention of Cruelty against Animals) based at their offices here in Johannesburg. For those who knows me you could say its the perfect job for me… saving animals. SPCA is a worldwide organization and if you watch Animal Planet on TV I am sure you have seen the American SPCA out in the field rescuing pets. I will be employed at the Farm Animal Unit meaning I will work with any farmed animal, from goats to crocodiles. The national SPCA overseas the 92 local member organizations around the country and act or help out in places where there are no local SPCA. This means a lot of traveling around South Africa on my own inspecting farms as well as abattoirs etc. The first three months I will go as a trainee before I take a two weeks course and a written exam to get my Inspector license. Here in South Africa SPCA stands for about 90% of all the animal welfare work and are regarded as professionals both by the public and by authorities who often consult them in issues regarding animal welfare.
Yes I am looking forward to start work and later on start traveling around the country. I am sure many of you think, like I did at first, how do you work with animal welfare in a country where so many people are struggling to survive themselves. Well I choose to see it this way: it does not cost much to treat animals in a more humane way. We are not talking about dressing our poodles in pink jerseys here but making sure animals are feed, healthy and not assaulted. If a person can not threat an animal in a descent way it is better for both of them if the animal is removed and placed with someone who cares or have the capacity to take care of it. I strongly believe that a person who assaults a defenseless animal is also prone to violent behavior against other people. As for me I will be working with farm animals and in that case you can always motivate the welfare of an farm animal with the fact that a happy, healthy cow is worth more to the owner than a sick, unhappy one!
If you want to read more about SPCA you can visit their website on http://www.nspca.co.za
Now I better go and enjoy my last days off,
Tjing!
