The SPCA recently intervened in a situation where two men were attempting to sell puppies and with it, they share how to avoid being emotionally blackmailed.
Cape Town, South Africa (26 August 2020) – If you are a Good Things Guy reader, you are most-likely a bleeding-heart like the best of us. It can make you exceptionally giving and that is a beautiful thing but many people use your soft-heartedness and generosity for their gain!
You name it, someone will be tugging on your heartstrings in a way that is unhealthy for the greater society. From giving money to homeless people, to “buying” sickly animals off people in an attempt to save them. The latter breeds a much bigger problem as a whole.
People will intentionally breed their dogs to entice good-hearted people to part with any sum on hand, to save the puppy and take it to a rescue centre. This was the case recently in Table View, Cape Town, where two men were spotted selling two lethargic puppies to people passing by.
The SPCA was called and they intervened in the situation which is the correct course of action. They shared the story as a way to raise awareness about this type of emotional blackmail so that people will stop buying puppies off of these individuals. The act is known as puppy hawking and is far more common than you would expect.
“There is no doubt that puppy hawkers rely heavily on the animal-loving communities who will do anything to rescue a puppy, regardless of the cost. Please do not be emotionally blackmailed. In spite of your best intentions, buying a puppy from a hawker perpetuates a cycle of abuse and cruelty. These individuals are likely to be breeding indiscriminately with no concern for their breeding females whose living conditions are comparable to puppy mills.
Supporting their trade creates a market and the demand and supply economic factors are set into motion. If anyone tries to sell you a puppy on a street corner, please call Law Enforcement on 0215961999 or the SPCA on 0217004158/9 with a full description of the location of the hawkers. Additional information which will make them easily recognisable including the clothes they are wearing will be very helpful.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Sergeant Barnard of Table View SAPS, to the person who reported the incident and the members of the public who helped look for the puppy sellers.”
If you come across a puppy hawker (or any animal for that matter), the first thing you do is call the police and the local SPCA. You can find all the SPCA contact details for your area via the NSPCA website here.
Remember, by giving the person cash, you only tell them to keep doing what they are doing. On a positive note, both puppies are stable and being cared for by the SPCA.