In September 2008, my fiancé Craig and I heard about a terrier cross that was at the Sandton SPCA waiting for adoption. We went through on a Saturday morning in order to adopt her. Upon arrival we spent some time with her but also spent a long time with 2 little daxie crosses who we were informed were called Noogy and Taffy. At the time, they were being treated according to the board outside their cage/kennel and were not allowed to be adopted until they were fully well.
Upon going to reception to put down our names for Kelly we also put down our names for Noogy and Taffy. We were going to give them a bit more time to find families BUT should this not happen the instruction was that Craig and I would adopt them without hesitation. We left both of our details which they wrote down on a piece of paper. (?!)
A few days later we called to follow up and were told that Kelly had been adopted by a family and gone to her new home. Noogy and Taffy were still undergoing treatment. I again expressed our intention to adopt them and told them that we would provide them with a home.
Another week passed and I called again. The person I spoke with initially was not 100% sure but said she thought they had been adopted. I requested to be put through to someone who could give me 100% clarification. She put me through to a person she called “The Receptionist”. This person confirmed that both puppies had been adopted.
For me the matter was now resolved. All 3 had been adopted and were settled in new homes.
Then in the beginning of December I received an sms telling me that Kelly was again back at Sandton SPCA. This sms did not come from the SPCA. Why did the SPCA not keep a file of the dogs in their care and potential homes? That way they could have called me immediately as opposed to putting her back into a kennel. The family who had adopted her had brought her back because she required “too much work”. I was distraught. We immediately tried to help find her a home through contacts. Having met her and spent time with her we knew that she was a super dog who would make someone very happy. She did find another home and hopefully this one understands what it means to have the honour of being a guardian for a beloved canine child.
Then in December, I received an URGENT plea from a contact about 2 little daxie crossbreeds at Sandton SPCA who had been there for 4 months and were already on borrowed time. I was beyond shocked when it was revealed that they were indeed Noogy and Taffy. We immediately used our extensive network to try to help these 2 little boys. I kept in contact with the SPCA checking to see if anyone had adopted them. 1 week after my plea for their adoption, I received the good news that one of them had been adopted when I made my regular calls. I asked which one but was told they were not sure which but the cage they were in only had one left now.
We continued to spread the word hoping that another home could be found. Again I called and this time I was informed that neither of them was there any longer. I asked if they had been adopted and I was told an emphatic yes.
Something was not sitting right with me though. The term “no longer here” has been used before and I wanted clarification so I emailed the Kennel Manager who confirmed my suspicions. Both Noogy and Taffy had been euthanized.
All those months ago we had offered to adopt them. Had followed up with calls. Offered to give them a forever home. But we had been informed that they had been adopted. Now instead of these 2 precious ones living in a home full of love and joy they lie rotting in the ground or as we know were most probably incinerated or used for other things.
This cannot be left without some sort of explanation. 2 loving puppies died unnecessarily.
Regards
Hayley Saul
The emails:
From: Spca Sandton (Charlotte) [mailto:spcasan1@mweb.co.za]
Sent: 14 January 2009 03:35 PM
To: Hayley Saul
Subject: Re: FW: Noogy and Taffy
Hi Hayley
Regrettably Noogy & Taffy were euthanazed to accommodate the huge influx of animals into our overflowing kennels.
This was a very sad decision to make due to their time spent with us, all our advertising together with your blurb on the Internet.
Thank you for caring.
Kind regards
Charlotte Levin
Manager
——-Original Message——-
From: Hayley Saul
Sent: 12 January 2009 04:11 PM
To: ‘spcasan1@mweb.co.za’
Subject: Noogy and Taffy
Importance: High
Hi there,
I would like to enquire about Noogy and Taffy. I would like to know if
they were actually adopted or if they were put to sleep. Please would
you be so kind as to confirm this for me.
I phoned your premises last week and was told that they were no longer
there but does this mean they were adopted or does this mean that they
were sent over the rainbow bridge?
I appreciate your reply in this regard.
Many thanks.
Hayley Saul
37 Comments
And what does the NSPCA has to say about the fact that these animals DID indeed have potential homes to go to????
That remains to be seen ……………………………………………
Their unnecessary deaths weigh very heavily on my heart. They should be a part of our family enjoying a life full of love and happiness. I am waiting for an explanation as to how and why?
Unfortunatly this does not only occur at the SPCA which you have had this expiriance with but the Cape Town one too. On various occasions i have sent a direct email to them enquiring about dogs that they have on their website (well when they had them on there) i always received a reply that the dogs had been adopted but on going to the SPCA when i volunteered there i found that ALL of the dogs and cats i had asked about were still there, many ending up euthanized. It made me feel sick to my stomach that they apparently “cared” that the animals got a home when were they really making an effort???
Dont get me wrong i would never ever want any of their jobs as i have been there, had the job and it killed my soul to be there so i left, but surely if you really care you would make it your sole mission to make sure these animals got homes no matter what it took… meaning keeping ANY potential home in a file up to date etc….
Im so sorry you had to go through this hayls…
Oh Hayley.I am so sorry about this.You are such a good person and would have given those beautiful boys a wonderful home.I am so sorry that they screwed up and broke your heart.I wish the outcome had been different for you all.
Sissy,xx
SPCA and all these ORGS are getting so much money for caring on stray and helpess animals.. but istead of helping them they prefer to eutanise them..
It’s a shame lovely , young dogs and cats are dying because ithis is more easy for the people of these ORGS than make efforts to find a loving family for them.
Its a shame in these “civilized’ coultries to put on a death row so many pets.
I think that animal lovers must protest.
Nana-activistist for animals in Greece-
ΑΓΑΠΗ ΓΙΑ ΤΑ ΖΩΑ.ΑΓΑΠΗ…
Can we start an anti SPCA Group on Facebook?
Just hate them so much and I think it is time we take the law into our own hands. If they want to sue, let them but I think as the public sponsoring THEM, we should sue them and have them shut the SPCA down as we know them and reopen these places as ANIMAL SHELTERS!!!!!!!!!!
The SPCA ALWAYS screws up – they are an incompetent bunch! Is there ANYTHING THEY HAVE EVER DONE RIGHT? BESIDES CHUCKING THERE PATHETIC VET IN KLOOF?
So absolutely NO word from (N)SPCA? Nothing? Nada? Zip? Zilch? WHY does that not surprise me.
Hey Nikki, no same old same old. They have to call a meeting first to discuss this issue no doubt and to make sure that they are all on the same page before they make any comment just in case something slips out about what they are really doing. It’s going to be the normal attack from Christine and Marcelle. Watch they are so predictable and as pathetic as each other.
And while people sit and meet, animals die. WAY TO GO WHOOHOO!!! You know, it would stand them in good stead if they for once admit to screw ups. What a damn pity they don’t realise that.
The only news so far is that when I went to adopt a dog on Saturday morning I was told that I am flat our BANNED and may not adopt a dog from them!! Can you believe it?? How utterly appalling. They would rather be political and have their feelings hurt because of this blog and the fact that I take photo’s and email them around of the dogs in their facilities without their permission in order to try save their lives than actually let a desperate dog go to a good home.
There are many PRO LIFE organisations in South Africa and they are growing every day. For anyone who wants to be a part of this fight then please join ARC http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=a103a78280041c9ca5d34c889cee4ea5&gid=19770414979 or http://www.anresco.org and their Alliance Partners who refuse to let the animal suffer the consequences of mans ignorance, arrogance and stupidity. They say NEVER SAY DIE and that is how they work. I only try to save those who are unlucky enough to land up at the SPCA but my hands are tied and I am chased away and told that they dont need help nor do they want me butting in. WHY?? Why do they not want people to help them? They have said the following directly to me WE ARE NOT A HOMING FACILITY!! Then what are you doing with all those animals that you have taken in?? The time is now that the truth comes out and I am going to fight this to the very end. I am speaking for the voiceless in memory of 2 precious puppies and all the others.
They must be incredibley stupid to be making the same mistake over and over again by killing animals. And how amazing is it that none of us can actually get them to stop doing what they are doing and chasing them out and making it a better place. That makes me so angry.
I have experienced the same thing at 2 SPCA’s in the Western Cape, where dogs arent even kept for more then a day and then euthanised, as I mentioned I will type out a detailed account of what happenend and sent it t you.
SPCA are not the only killers – http://www.petakillsanimals.com.
Solly – it is not stupidity. They make the same mistake over and over again because they can get away with it, which essentially means they are ALLOWED to.
I have posted this link everywhere. On forums, on facebook, on my emails. I am desperately disappointed that people care so little. Noogy and Taffy are going to have died in vain. Their deaths are just going to be swept under the carpet. I have mailed the SPCA directly and asked them how this happened and they have ignored me. Without public support I stand alone. Thank you to all those who have come here and shown your love for these 2 puppies. I wont give up. Somehow I will find a way to get justice for their murder. Please continue to spread the word. This cannot go unpunished. If it had been a child there would be all hell to pay. But because its just a puppy, nobody cares. My heart bleeds.
I still maintain: WHAT does the NSPCA have to say about this?
Well, I am kind of glad that I’ve seen this site, but in the same breath, upset – feel a little let down that the people that are meant to protect our animals from the nasties out there are not doing just that!!!!
Please Nikki as if the SPCA would deign to care. They have ignored this and dont care. However they have banned me from adopting a dog from them. When I tried to save a little girl 2 weeks ago they told me I am not allowed to. I may not under any circumstance adopt a dog from the SPCA. Brilliant!! I am just in awe of them.
Oh please, Stop being so damn pathetic. What do you mean by “They” have banned me from adopting from “The SPCA” – Who is “They?” and from which SPCA…. You really haven’t tried very hard. You just seem to want to stir the pot more.. and make it damn difficult For those of us who are making a difference and trying to do our work .
Excuse me?? This refers to Sandton SPCA if you had been following the thread so they would refer to Sandton. I am not being pathetic. I am very angry. Noogy and Taffy were murdered due to the incompetence the SPCA in Sandton. And they dont have the balls to own up to it. I see you dont have the balls to put your surname either!! What work do you do Fiona?? What sterling work have you done this week? I am keen to hear. Please do share?
Yes I have been banned. Would you like to know why? I sent out an email to try and help get a dog adopted from Sandton SPCA and they had over 100 calls for her. Apparently it put too much “stress” on their admin. Boo Hoo. Isnt that a shame. For once they had to do some work. Those 100 people could have turned into 60 people walking through the door and possibly 30 people adopting dogs instead of 30 dogs being destroyed because the SPCA refuse to work with other welfare groups. You damn right I am stirring the pot. They have gotten away with doing as little as possbile for far too long. Direct quotation from high ranking people at NSPCA WE ARE NOT A HOMING ORGANISATION. Really? What the hell are you doing with all those animals in the kennels then? Why are you taking in strays then? Why are you accepting dogs and cats that people give up then?
You want to have a conversation with me Fiona by all means but dont hide behind a first name. Bring it on and bring your facts. I have ALL of mine!!
Oh dear, how much damage you are doing slating and targetting all the SPCA’s . You have no idea the good work they all do, the stress they deal with on a daily basis and the VERY good work and care they show animals.
I really wish you would all think and maybe understand a bit more before you all jump on a smear campaign about an organization who does have the animals interest at heart, whether you agree with them being put down or not.
Thank you Animal Lover… Exactly my point, I do this not as a job but as my life mission and yet it takes only a handful of people to smear the work that we do – I have now chosen to ignore the remarks made against the SPCA – Why/ because I belong to this organisation Why? because I believe in it and I know that everyday I do make a difference.. in so many animals lives, and I will continue to stay here, and do just that and as you say.. if having to put an animal to sleep is going to help it – then that’s what I will do. Today I collected a staffie from her owner who couldn’t take her to be put down. She said that she was too sad!!! The dog couldn’t even walk. Its legs were collapsed and wrapped around her body. She could hardly breathe – She had been that way for at least 3 weeks. Come on man – the dog is 14yrs old, let her have some peace in her life.. Was the owner there to help load up her dog and say goodbye? No, off course she wasn’t – Remember now – she was too sad.!! So I did it for the dog. loaded her up and took back to our SPCA where she was humanely euthanased
Stop harming the name of the SPCA – death is a reality in animals lives…
Animal Lover, why do you hide behind a username? If you have something to say and want to be taken seriously then do so with your real name otherwise you are nothing but a coward!!
Estelle, I notice you don’t use your surname. Are you too afraid to state your case with your full name? I also do this every day as well as many others who are totally committed and so passionate about animal welfare and we fight to SAVE animals. We fight every single day to give them a second chance when they have been rescued from abusive situations to ensure that they get the best of everything and that certainly doesn’t mean a needle and death. Death is a reality in all of our lives when it comes to us naturally and not when somebody chooses that our time is up. Who the hell gave you the right? Animals have no voice and they most certainly would choose to live and play and love. Not get death by a needle. And its not humane. They know they are about to be killed. Don’t try and kid people. We are not fools. And yes there does come a time unfortunately when some animals are old, injured or sick and they cannot be saved and then the kindest thing is to put them down but there is no justification for putting a healthy, young animal down and certainly NOT in the case of Noogy and Taffy who were wee little puppies who had a guaranteed home. How on earth do you even have the gaul to try and justify that? That is utterly abhorrent.
Quite frankly I don’t care how much damage is done. That is the whole point. The public need to know the truth and they will!! How can you even try to justify the murder of 2 innocent puppies who had a guaranteed home? Its utterly absurd and shameful. Sandton SPCA stuffed up totally and they have not even had the balls to own up and explain what went wrong. Instead their answer was to ban me from their premises and from adopting another lost soul who has landed up at their facility.
And this is not the only incident. I have many. I will ensure that the public are informed. Whilst there are many wonderful people working for the SPCA there are far too many things happening that are not acceptable and they have to be dealt with, admitted to and fixed.
If they are not able to handle the animal situation as the defacto welfare group in this country then there are many other people prepared to step in and take over.
The public will have their eyes opened to the truth!!
And Estelle, its really pathetic to first write a comment as the second Fiona who wrote something and then as Estelle!! Pretending to be 2 different people? And yet you claim o be so proud to be a part of the SPCA. Strange then that you wont stand up as yourself and fight for them. Care to deny it?
If you are so sure of the wonderful work and absolute purity of the SPCA and NSPCA then stop hiding.
Noogy and Taffy my angels, your deaths will not go unnoticed nor for the thousands who have been killed when they were young, healthy and had a chance but were given none!!
The reason I dont want to give my name, is for fear of you, Harley, you are aggressive and quite frankly a little rude. You have attacked organizations, people and I dont want to have you knowing my name and slandering my beliefs and thoughts, that dont agree with yours, as you have done in the other mails and above feedback. Its a bit rude to state I am a coward, you dont know me at all. As my thoughts differ from yours around the SPCA – I am sure you will reply with an rude mail again. For the good of the animals, dont slander the SPCA’s – were do you propose all those animals that are in SPCA around the country go to if they are not there? Not to slate Wetnose, but they have space for 150 dogs, they curretnly have 300 in there – from the Puppy Mills. As with people, put a whole lot of animals in one place, you will get fighting and other things – I am not saying Wetnose will not handle it, but dont slate animal shelters which might not agree with your beliefs in keeping animals alive forever. We often (especially with older pets) keep them alive for our own selfish feelings. Everything (Wetnose, SPCA/you, Hayley ) have their place in this world and everybody is doing their bit for the better life of animals in our world.
Animal lover and Estelle – putting down animals is not the answer. Sterilization is. The (N)SPCA can start doing damage control with some aggressive sterilization campaigs. It can do damage control with lobbying for a ban on backyard breeders and the sale of animals at petshops. If the ONLY place animals can be found (for pets) is at a shelter/SPCA, the problem with overpopulation of domestic animals can start to be controlled.
Essentially what the (N)SPCA is doing is like scooping out water from a sinking ship with a teaspoon. PLUG THE HOLE, THEN TAKE OUT THE WATER, GET THE BOAT REPAIRED AND THEN HAPPY SAILING.
This is not an overnight solution, but a long term solution, and it is one which will WORK.
Animal Lover I dont understand how you can be so blind to what is right in front of you. I am not attacking the SPCA for the work that they do. I am asking them to explain what happened here. How on earth did they let such a terrible admin error occur that resulted in the death of 2 innocent puppies. Can you not see that they really stuffed up and they owe the public an explanation? I offered them a home and I was in constant contact to follow up. I was told they were homed despite putting my name down for them. Then I find out months later that they have been destroyed. It is not acceptable. For their lives I am demanding an answer and I wont sit back and say its okay to err. When lives are at stake there is no room for error.
You can keep coming back here and say whatever it is that you choose to but it wont change the fact that Sandton SPCA destroyed 2 puppies who had a guaranteed home and this is not the only time it has happened. Why should be sit back and say nothing? Because they do some good the wrong should be swept under the carpet? Not going to happen. Then our politicians and everybody else who does unforgivable things should also be allowed to get away with anything they want to.
The SPCA are funded by individuals such as myself and if my money is not going to be used properly then I demand to know what the hell is going on!! If you have a problem with that then tough. f you think what happened is ok then there is something very wrong with your perception of acceptable. I will fight for Noogy and Taffy. I held them in my arms and promised them that they would be safe. I owe them and I will get answers. They will not have died in vain.
Animal Lover. I think you are over-reacting slightly to Hayley, but then that is your choice. You seem to think that all people do is attack the SPCA when, if you had actually read the blog, you would see that there is an article commending them for their action in terms of the Guard Dogs.
It is possible that the reason no-one knows you at all is because you have not let anyone get to know you, but you choose to condemn and judge others on their stance in regards an organization that you vociferously defend even when they commit gross misconduct (they euthanized two dogs that had homes and there are many other cases, but in your eyes they cannot do any wrong).
Instead of condemning others when they make public serious gross misconduct, why not question these organizations to clarify what they did? Yes, we all know that sometimes mistakes are made, but then be honest about it and admit to the fact. Don’t try and defend them by continued reference to past good deeds (this is similar to the excuses by the current governing party for their continued ‘right’ to governing this country).
You yourself have been rude and aggressive and the posts above are proof of such. For the good of animals it is important, (and it is important to understand and realise that the above is not slander: 1. Law. Oral communication of false statements injurious to a person’s reputation.
2. A false and malicious statement or report about someone. – what is stated on this blog is factual and not false) to ensure that all forms of abuse, neglect or death through misconduct or otherwise, whether intended or not is made public. To protect an organization based on the good work that they do is tantamount to allowing them carte blanche to do what they like without fear of recourse. Are you willing to allow that?
If you really are an animal lover you would understand that no-one should be allowed to do whatever they wish and ignore the consequences and there are consequences. Not once has anyone stated that the SPCA’s need to be closed down. On the contrary, blogs like this are started to try and keep organizations open, but are also held accountable for their actions (or inactions). They are after all funded by the public who have every right to know what is happening in these organizations.
I shall not comment on the above as it will just go backwards and forwards. I support the SPCA’s and always will
Animal Lover – you have proven nothing but someone who has nothing to say! Support them by all means but please do not do so blindly. You do not help the animals in their care when you put on blinkers and refuse to deal with the truth. I have supported the SPCA my whole life but when this happened I felt the need to stand up and say something. We are the only voice that these animals have and when you choose to sit back and do nothing, you are as guilty as the parties who are doing the wrong. It cannot be tolerated that such things happen in organisations who are supposed to be saving lives. We all understand that there due to the crisis of animal welfare in this country, animals are being destroyed. I myself am PRO LIFE and now only work with and support PRO LIFE shelters. However the reality is that the SPCA are not Pro Life. This however does NOT under any circumstances give them the right to kill 2 young puppies who had been offered a home. We have adopted from the SPCA before and I will continue to do so as soon as all of this mess can be sorted out and they remove this ridiculous ban on me and explain what the hell happened.
Lets not all jump in and attack Animal Lover – she obviously works hard at supporting animals in need, and identifies strongly with the SPCA’s mission, so when someone says something bad about the SPCA, she understandably takes it personally, since to her it probably seems like you are criticizing her.
However… Animal Lover, I would just ask you to realize that no organization, and that includes charities, is perfect. They are staffed by humans, they operate within a lot of constraints and sometimes they make mistakes. This is one such mistake. Should that one mistake mean everything the SPCA ever did for animals is in vain? No, of course not, they have done and still do a lot of good work. However, neither does that give them a free pass. There should never be an organisation too holy for criticism and improvement – not the government, not a church, not a charity, not a business. The minute you start saying something is above criticism because of the good things they do, you risk puttng a blind eye to anything bad they do. And thats the case here.
Nobody wants the SPCA to be destroyed or to cease their operations, we want them to stand up and take responsibility, to admit it, to fix their problems, and get on with life. Had they said to Hayley, “Look we screwed up really bad and we feel awful, obviously our organisational goal is to protect the lives of animals not to ensure their deaths. This was a one-off thing, and we are doing whatever it takes to make sure it never happens again.”, things wouldnt have ended up like this. Had they just said something like that, had they investigated, had they communicated with Hayley, she wouldnt have got so pissed off and posted this blog post. But instead of doing things the mature way, they decided to ignore her and ban her from adopting – not on the basis of whether she would be likely to harm any animals but because she embarrassed them. And thats just disgraceful, thats not the way to deal with your problems. Its childish and political, and if thats how they deal with criticism then I wouldnt be surprised to see a lot more of it.
Good work Hayley – sadly I dont expect them to turn around and admit the mistake, but we need things like this brought to light.
I agree whole heartedly wwith you Jonathan!
Jonathan has said everything I wanted to say – but better than I could have said it. Don’t give up Hayley – people must be held accountable for tragedies such as this.
This is shocking! how could two dogs be put down when some one was willing to give them a home? I have had so many problems with the SPCA when trying to report cases of animal neglect or cruely which I have witnessed, they are so unhelpful and not interested, and when I phone back for an update, no-one seems to know what I am talking about. It seems there is a lot of mis-communication within the SPCA
I can not believe what has happend i mean they are puppys do they think that they are god if i knew about this sooner i would have fostered them untill they found a home animals also have fealings and should not be trreated like trash, my baby had to be put down witch i am also upset about and the worst of all was she was the one dog that was differant to her kind she was not like the pitbulls everyone made them out to be, no she was my child, i wish tht something could be done about having dogs put down unnecesary