by Candy Yorke
A trip along High Street never goes by wthout bumping into a stray dog or a wandering cat. Often these animals make their ways onto the Rhodes University campus and have even guest featured in the odd Psychology lecture in the Eden Grove lecture theatre. While we have all enjoyed the humour of a scruffy Jack Russel sitting in on the theories of Freud, no one can deny that we have a much more complex issue at hand.
Stray animals are a major problem in Grahamstown; many attribute this to a large uneducated and poor poulation. These people cannot provide their animals with a secure home so the animals run away. Having not been vaccinated or sterilized, the streets of Grahamstown soon become over populated.
More tragically, however, is that the homeless people have taken the opportunity to turn this problem into a business venture. The other day, while walking down a rainy High Street, I was approached by a tatty man. He opened his battered coat, revealing three puppies, which he hoped to sell.
Lara Salomon of Grocott's Mail claims that this is becoming a popular occurence. Salomon reports that residences often buy the anials so as to get them off the streets, yet a few days later the animals go missing. It is claimed that the animals are stolen back so as to resell them.
As Rhodes University students we make up a very privileged sector of Grahamstown's population. we have a voice and an educated one at that. Surely then it is our duty to attempt to solve this dilemma. By failing to take action we are condoning the situation. Education is required to cease the actions of the street people, while greater support needs to be given to the SPCA and other organisations towards animal collection efforts. We must bear in mind that Grahamstown is as much our home as it is the street peoples' and the animals'. Thus, by not taking actions to improve their situation we are allowing ours to deteriorate.
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