Animal welfare in Zimbabwe was initiated over 80 years ago, some 100 years after the Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was launched in the United Kingdom in 1824. This followed the first
anti-cruelty bill which was introduced by Richard Martin MP which provided protection for cattle, horses
and sheep.
The first prosecutions date back to 1832 when 181 convictions were recorded.
In 1840 the Society's work was held in such high regard by Queen Victoria that she granted her
permission for the SPCA to be entitled the Royal Society for the Preventions of Cruelty to Animals.
At that time, only a single Inspector had been appointed in London. By 1842 several requests had
been received from other areas for the appointment of additional Inspectors.
The first SPCA Centre to be officially registered as a Welfare Organisation in Zimbabwe was Bulawayo
in 1967, followed by Kwekwe, Harare and Masvingo in the same year, Mutare in 1968 and Gweru in 1969.
The smaller centres followed suit in the early 1970's.
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was established in 1969 by Messrs
Barrow, Hearsh, Morris, Brierley, Bott, Sobey and Howell, who represented the eight SPCA Centres
providing services to animals in Zimbabwe at that time.
Over 30 years later, founder member Mr G B Howell, who retired as Chairman of the Mutare SPCA in
2002, is still an active and most respected member of the Society.
There are currently 15 active SPCA centers or divisions of ZNSPCA throughout Zimbabwe, with the
recent important addition of Beitbridge.
In 2000, the National Executive Council, which represents all SPCA centers, appointed a National
Co-ordinator, Chief Inspector Meryl Harrison to provide liaison between the centers, advise members
on correct policy and procedure and most importantly, to provide training to Inspectors for
appointment by the Minister of Tourism and the Environment, empowered to enforce the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals Act, the primary objective of the Society.
With only 10 Inspectors currently employed throughout Zimbabwe, the training of Inspectors remains
the Chief Inspector's priority. Four trainees who recently completed their training and passed the
Inspector's examination with excellent results are awaiting accreditation by the Minister. Three
further trainees are currently undergoing their practical training. The ZNSPCA is always on the
look-out for suitable individuals with the necessary level of dedication and commitment to animal
welfare.
As the only organisaton authorised to rescue the thousands of animals abandoned or affected by
ongoing land reforms, the brave and determined Inspectors of ZNSPCA have been a credit to the Society
and have received international commendations and awards for their bravery.
Apart from the rescue work which currently takes up most of the National team's time, Chief
Inspector Harrison still manages to find time to deal with the myriad other animal welfare concerns
of the Society, such as live animal transportation, intensive farming, wildlife in captivity,
improving the conditions of laboratory animals, the introduction of codes of practice for livestock
producers, export and translocation of wild animals and ensuring the humane treatment of regulated
problem animals. She routinely consults with all the stake-holders connected with these activities
and has established the Animal Welfare Forum, a tri-partite group comprising of the Chief Inspector
of the ZNSPCA, Chief Government Veterinarian and Chairman of the Veterinary Council of Zimbabwe.
Through the work of the Inspectorate, the Society in Zimbabwe is no longer perceived as an
organisation merely concerned with the welfare of 'cats and dogs', but an organisation committed to
the prevention of cruelty to animals in all of its manifestations.
As there are not many records available relating to the history of the Society in Zimbabwe, we would
appreciate any information, files, newspaper cuttings or correspondence from former Chairmen and
Inspectors in order to provide a more detailed and interesting history of the Society.
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