He’s pulled dogs out of drains, rushed to stranded sheep on the highway, sat in courtrooms fighting for justice, and answered calls in the early hours of New Year’s Day. George SPCA is celebrating 23 years of dedicated Inspector Henrico Pypers!
Garden Route, South Africa (03 March 2026) – Some people clock in and out. Others are like Inspector Henrico Pypers.
Since 2003, Henrico has answered the call when animals needed a hero.
He once drove through the night to get to Uniondale, where two dogs had been poisoned and needed saving. He got in his car in the early hours of New Year’s Day to rescue a dog that had hurt itself on a fence trying to escape the fireworks. Late on a Friday, he once stopped to help when a truck carrying sheep and cows had broken down. He has also spent more than one Father’s Day on duty.
When cruelty cases are opened, he’s the one in court. He was there to testify in a case involving a dog that had been stabbed. He was there in 2019 when three people who had attacked pigs with a panga on a farm in Pacaltsdorp were finally sentenced — after a case that had been grinding through the courts for two years.
These are a few of the many times Pypers has been that hero.
This week, the Garden Route SPCA stopped to honour Henrico for reaching 23 years of dedicated, unwavering service to animals.
“Today we honour an incredible milestone — 23 years of service by Inspector Henrico Pypers at the Garden Route SPCA.” the organisation shared. “For more than two decades, Henrico has been a steady pillar of strength for animals who have no voice and no protection. His commitment to animal welfare has never wavered. Through long days, late-night call-outs, difficult rescues, court cases, and heartbreaking situations, he has shown unwavering dedication, courage, and integrity.”
It’s been heartening to see more local publications giving animal welfare the attention it deserves. The stories of rescues, recoveries, and second chances are ones that people connect with deeply, and they matter. But behind every one of those stories is a person who got the call, got in the car, and made the good news possible.
Being a hero for animals is emotionally heavy and demanding in more ways than one. Beyond it being tough work, animal welfare workers carry the weight of terrible things they’ve seen and keep showing up anyway.
Inspector Henrico Pypers is one of those people. And after 23 years, it’s well past time to say so out loud!
“His passion for protecting animals and serving the community has left a lasting impact on the Garden Route. 23 years of sacrifice. 23 years of standing up for the voiceless. 23 years of making a difference. Thank you, Inspector Henrico Pypers, for your dedication, leadership, friendship, and heart. The animals — and all of us — are better because of you.” shared the SPCA.
by 