What is happening at present with Sledding in South Africa

Following the unwarranted attacks of the NSPCA on a sport that has existed in South Africa for the past 20 years and is an internationally recognized sport, it is important that some response is made to the bullying, intimidation and general abuse the sledding community has received by the NSPCA regarding the legality of the sledding in South Africa.

The NSPCA has taken it upon themselves to decide what laws apply to whom and have self proclaimed the sport of sledding to be illegal in South Africa. Interesting considering the sport has been in existence in South Africa since the early 1990's and the law being applied was written in 1949.

We believe that the law does not apply to sledding and the NSPCA is abusing their power by attempting to enforce such a law to whomever they choose to be guilty at the time. The legitimacy of sledding in South Africa is not, in our opinion, questionable and legal council has been obtained on the matter. SAFSS lawyers have stated further that their opinion is that the ordinance of 1949 does not refer to sledding. Firstly, the law was written some 30 odd years before the sport was in existence in South Africa. How can you write a law for something that does not exist, with it in mind? Secondly, the law is a gambling law that includes the use of equipment such as a totaliser being employed and betting taking place, neither of which have any use, meaning or place in sledding. Sledding events are held as time trials in the exact same manner as agility, dog jumping or fly ball (all quite legal) and at no time are dogs made to 'race' against one another as is done in Greyhound racing.

Meetings and attempts by SAFSS with the NSPCA aimed at resolving the matter have been met with complete apathy by the NSPCA. The NSPCA has made it very clear that they have the money and the means to “go to war” on this matter with no interest in discussion or explanation of the fact THEY have chosen at this time to name the sport illegal. Instead they flaunt their 'power' and have abused the countries resources by wasting the precious time of law enforcement officers and happily employed money from donations they received to make their point.

SAFSS does NOT believe the sport of sledding is, or has ever been, illegal in South Africa and refutes any claims made by the NSPCA in this regard. What happened to innocent until proven guilty? Instead, the NSPCA is blatantly making deflamatory remarks about illegal sledding! The bottom line is there is no guilt here, only a power hungry body flexing it's muscles under the pretense of an “animal welfare organisation”.