SPCA Grahamstown neuters dogs with their grant from Animal-Kind International

Animal-Kind International
5 days ago
3 min read

The SPCA Grahamstown's 2025 AKI-funded grant project is, Project Amadoda. Amadoda is isiXhosa for “Men.” And that was the focus of the SPCA's project:

To address the welfare of male dogs in Joza township by improving their health and well-being through neutering to reduce fighting, injuries, and roaming.

We asked: Why males?

Michelle (SPCA G Vice Chairperson) answered: "Over the past 3 years of sterilization campaigns we have seen male dogs with terrible wounds from fighting over females on heat, many of these wounds being left untreated. Added to this are TVT cases, scrotum repairs, infected bite wounds and prolapses in male dogs. The aggression and fighting is horrific and they are often brutally treated by the community. Male dogs and cats are constantly “in season” – they do not have an off button! Their search for females takes them out of their area and often they become displaced and cannot find their way home, ending up as strays on the street. We believe that by neutering males, both dogs and cats, we are making life kinder and healthier for many animals that would be left to suffer as a result."

The project was initially focused on the lower income part of Joza township, but when the SPCA searched for owners, they found many were not at home. When they found owners, many were against neutering males their male pets. As convincing as SPCA staff can be, they were unable to overturn long-held (and false!) beliefs that neutering will make their dog lazy and no longer interested in guarding.

When we discussed with Michelle the need to expand the target area, she said, "We are not short of low income areas, so the team were able to find families agreeable to neuters in other areas as well as Joza."

Collage of people with dogs promoting Project Amadoda for which 74 dogs were neutered in South Africa. — The Project Amadoda dogs and their families

The final tally for Project Amadoda, including neuters and vet care, was:

Neuters: 74 dogs (no cats)

Wound treatments: 5

Undescended testicles: 2

Groin infection: 1

Biliary treatment: 2

Education: 70+ households

All of us were disappointed that no families requested their male cats be neutered. We know how difficult lives are for cats in the townships and we had hoped to ease the burden. We have a long way to go before cats are considered part of the family and given the care and compassion they need and deserve.

Still, we are thrilled that Project Amadoda created a voice for male dogs and that Animal-Kind International's grant to the SPCA resulted in 74 dogs neutered.

We're grateful to the SPCA staff members who were involved in this project and risked bites, had to handle animals who weren't used to being handled, and some not very agreeable owners:

Inspectors: Maloli Dingana and Lee Matthews – recruitment, owner education, addressing welfare issues, transportation, and medicating

Kennel staff: Bonisile Makombe, Phillip McDougall, Sive Kibi – feeding, cleaning, handling animals in the kennels

Rasta: bathing

Man in green coveralls smiling while washing a black and white dog at the shelter in Grahamstown in South Africa. — Rasta bathes a Project Amadoda dog

While there were many lessons learned from this innovative project and approach, Michelle wrote, "We believe that the neutering of these males will reduce their need to wander far from home, will reduce fighting and prevent injuries, as well as improve their overall health and wellbeing."

These are just a few of the 74 male dogs whose lives were changed by the SPCA's grant project (and whose families' minds were changed about their male dogs):

A man stands in the middle of a dirt road while holding a brown dog on a leash and gently touching the dog's face in South Africa. — Chicken returns home after being neutered (March)

A man stands in a grassy area holding a dog on a leash with small square shaped homes behind them in South Africa. — Doritos at home after neuter

Woman holds a gray puppy looking at him lovingly in South Africa. — Bobby returns home after his neuter surgery, having also gotten a wound stitched up (Feb)

Children stand and sit on grass beside a tan dog and two bags of dog food in South Africa. — Danger was neutered and returned home to his caring family (Dec)

A woman lovingly holds her arm around a dog's neck in a truck bed in South Africa. — Manuel was neutered and treated for early stage TVT (Nov)

Man in maroon tracksuit pets a brown dog whose tail is raised and has a calm look on his face in South Africa. — Boyi had an infected ear and neck wound. He was neutered and kept overnight for post-op care before being returned home. (Nov)

Man holds a black dog gently on his hip in a rural setting in South Africa. — Blackie at home after neuter surgery (Oct)

Man smiles while holding a tan and black dog in front of a house in South Africa. — Biltong at home after neuter surgery

Animal-Kind International and the SPCA Grahamstown (a 4th time grantee and recipient of the Good DOG Fund) agree, the effort and expense is more than worth it and is a great way to save lives, ease pain, and minimize cruelty!