Just a few of the animals that have been rescued by Irwins

What do we strive to achieve?

First and foremost awareness and recognition of the problems regarding the excess numbers of domestic animals in our country and what action is at present being taken to solve them. Most of the general public are unfortunately unaware of the problems that domestic pets face. In the long term Irwins would like to see a change in other animal welfare societies as they are today where their excess animals have to be euthanased and also see the Irwins Animal Rescue Centre as a temporary sanctuary for re-homing animals too, instead of needing to provide a permanent sanctuary for unwanted animals who have been permanently damaged by neglect, abuse and eventually being abandoned. Which is the case today.

What does Irwins propose?

Irwin Animal Rescue is out to stop the mass slaughter of our domestic animals in South Africa. The Irwin Animal Rescue Centre proposes that " Animal control, through Licencing, and policed through the Animal Protection Act will bring with it, responsible pet ownership." With licence to keep an un-sterilised queen or bitch being high it will encourage people to get their pets sterilised through vets or welfare organisations or face hefty fines under the Animal Protection Act.

New pet by-laws 2010

City by-laws make it illegal to own a certain number of dogs or cats as specified in the pet by-laws without a permit. According to the new by-laws no one may keep more than:

• Two dogs over the age of 6 months to be kept at a dwelling unit;
• Four dogs, or allow more than 4 dogs over the age of six months to be kept in or at a premises containing one or two houses;
• Six dogs or allow more than 6 dogs over the age of six months to be kept on an Agricultural property; or ........ please visit link to see full by-laws and exceptions.

It does not make sense that the municipality has come up with such bylaws that restricts the number of animals that people can own, Many people have acquired excess animals because they have taken them off the streets or rescued them from wherever or have given a home to animals when people have left the country.

most people don't choose to have too many animals because of costs of keeping them but they have taken them into their homes out of compassion. Many take in animals for companionship or for extra security or both. This means they care both for their animals as well as for their families' safety.

Restricting the number of domestic pets that people own is targeting the caring people who have taken animals in and not targeting the root cause of people acquiring excess animals in the first place! How is it that they can restrict the number of pets that people own but not restrict the people who are breeding them into an already over-populated world where there are not enough homes for them.

Municipality talks about the environmental issues with too many animals, obviously if people are causing health or environmental problems one can act on the relevant bylaws already in place, without restricting the number of animals people can keep. That is an invasion of their constitutional rights. Animals are classified as property, one cannot restrict people of the number of cars they own or children they can have (pets are like children to many people), so how can they possibly restrict the number of pets they have that are of value to the safety of both their children and their cars. Dogs keep the thieves away and cats keep the rats away, so in effect they are complimenting the area and keeping it environmentally safe from bad elements in society and clean from vermin.

"In February 2008 the Spay and Neuter Law was signed in California. The law on pet sterilisation requires most dogs and cats to be spayed or neutered by the time they are 4 months old. The ordinance intends to reduce and eventually eliminate thousands of euthanisations conducted in the city's animal shelters every year. The ordinance exempts some animals, including those that have competed in shows or sporting competitions, guide dogs, animals used by police agencies and those belonging to professional breeders." This was posted on the New York times website.

WHY cant South Africa pass a similar Law?????????????

Why is there a need for a place like Irwins?

There are not enough homes for domestic pets in our country and hundreds of thousands are being destroyed every year due to the excess of animals. everybody is on the breeding scene now as a means of making money. We wont even go into the inbreeding issues and resultant genetic defects. puppy mills and backyard breeders are sprouting up everywhere. Animals are abandoned or abused for various reasons. Reasons such as biting there owners guests, digging up the garden killing chickens, escaping,jumping the fence, chewing up everything and other behavioural problems or their owners simply no longer want them, can no longer afford them or are moving so they simply dump them on the side of the street. these dogs become feral and those which are not sterilised add to the numbers of stray animals. Instead of simply killing off the excess animals; solutions need to be established to resolve the route causes of this enormous problem.

About Us

The Irwin Animal Rescue centre actually started in 1984 because of one amazing mongrel we called moses, one cat called Tiggy Two, a Donkey we called Jack and a horse, we refrained from calling Bones but could not help calling him Tumbleweed. They had been rescued from long term abuse and were being auctioned off at an animal welfare society. My dear daughter Jeanette bid her pocket money and savings of R25 to prevent them from being sent to the abattoirs after the auction. We registered a Section 21 Company not for gain in 1987 when there were a 104 domestic animals residing at our home and it had become apparent that there were major problems in the field of animal welfare. 140 abused, neglected and abandoned animals, where the only other alternative for them would have been death. It was obvious at the time that there would be many more to come who would also just need to time to heal in a safe home with good food, relevant medication and treatment. who would all need vaccinations, sterilisation, kennels, blankets, fencing etc, It was obvious we could not do all this on love alone, so the Irwin Animal Rescue Center was born and pioneered the first "Saved to Live" and "Saved for Life' Sanctuary in South Africa.