DYB: South African teenagers helping animals and themselves

DW (English)

Young people working in an animal rescue project in Soweto are helping sick creatures and educating others about animal cruelty. It's also giving them a sense of purpose.

Transcript

00:00this dog was injured with a machete two young volunteers are out on a rescue mission I'm not

00:13happy about the cage and the grass as well yeah because it's going to get like ticks and fleas

00:20yeah and will affect them the world do you see it's already entering the do you see the grass

00:26Lila and sickler work for SARAC an animal welfare organization in the township of Soweto Johannesburg

00:34it's focused on animal rescue and raising awareness of cruelty to animals it provides

00:40young people who once feared or mistreated animals themselves with an opportunity to learn how to care

00:46for them and see them as living creatures deserving of protection and it gives them a sense of purpose

00:52we have realized that for us to effectively change the way animals are perceived is by changing the

01:03young minds educating the young minds hence we've enlisted the help of community children this cage

01:10is far too small animal cruelty is on the rise in South Africa and the 1962 animal cruelty act still

01:18the basis of animal welfare legislation is outdated and doesn't address today's challenges minor penalties

01:24fail to deter offenders the dog's owner gets away with a warning updates the owner but the negative

01:31impacts of keeping it in a closed-up cage and the grass as well sickler used to be a troublemaker himself

01:39working in animal rescue has changed him with sicker sicker any time you need to see this it is there

01:46according to your parents very problematic since he has been around anymore he's like sharing that

01:52energy with animals so this one is the one you love the most okay these dedicated young rangers have

01:59come to understand the value of protecting animals they always say that if you buy a pet you grow the

02:08pet but then it's actually the other way around because once you start loving it caring for it it'll do

02:14the same thing

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