:: NATIONAL COUNCIL OF SPCA's (NSPCA)

Mission Statement
Preventing cruelty to animals.

History of the NSPCA
The National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA), founded in 1956 as the Federation of SPCAs, is the umbrella body for 97 Societies situated throughout the Republic of South Africa. All of these Societies are autonomous but are governed by The Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 169 of 1993.

The NSPCA was renamed in 1993 when, at the request of the member SPCAs, the body had its own self-governing Act of Parliament passed and signed into existence. It is possible that the SPCA movement in South Africa, may be the only animal welfare organisation worldwide with its own self-governing Act.

A crucial aspect of the Act is that it establishes the SPCA’s locus standi to act on behalf of animals. This means that an SPCA’s authority to enforce animal protection legislation can no longer be challenged in court.

The work of the NSPCA
The NSPCA deals with national issues and has four operational units, namely, “Farm Animals”, “Society Liaison”, “Special Projects” and “Wildlife”, which work pro-actively to prevent cruelty.

The NSPCA does not have animal holding facilities and makes appropriate arrangements when necessary with the nearest suitable facility for housing animals. The NSPCA is also involved in addressing national issues and problems including legislation (laws, regulations, by-laws, codes of practice), providing registered training courses, defining policy, assisting SPCAs and dealing with national disaster relief.
National issues include but are not limited to:

• Awareness Campaigns
  
• Community Outreach programmes into impoverished communities
  
• Compilation of Codes and Regulations
  
• Development of Units or Standards for the benefit of animals within industries that utilise animals
  
• Development of Units or Standards to benefit and minimise the use of animals in experimentation
  
• Disaster response
  
• Education
  
• Emergency relief
  
• Liaison with animal-related industries
  
• Negotiation at Government and Provincial levels
  
• Providing Training Courses for Managing Committees on request
  
• Training SPCA Inspectors
  

Upgrading welfare standards
The NSPCA plays an active role in liasing with industries or businesses such as emerging farmers, red and white meat producers, businesses and government departments using security dogs, laboratory animals in schools and institutions and aquaria, to enable the acquisition of knowledge and skills for the benefit of animal welfare principles. Environmental enrichment for captive animals is also a key objective. The Tony and Lisette Lewis Foundation has been a supporter of the SPCA (national council included) since 1996.

NSPCA website: www.nspca.co.za

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