THE FUSE

A groundbreaking, sector-led initiative is set to create South Africa’s first nationally recognised minimum standards for animal shelters.

South Africa (12 February 2026) – For years, South Africa’s animal shelters have been running on courage, compassion and very little else.

Across towns, cities and rural communities, thousands of people have shown up every day to feed, treat, rescue and rehome abandoned dogs and cats. They have done it without nationally recognised minimum standards to guide governance, operations or care. Until now.

BarkingMad South Africa has announced a landmark national initiative to develop the country’s first sector-led minimum standards for companion animal shelters. It is the first time South Africa will have a formal, nationally recognised framework designed specifically for shelters and the realities they face.
And the groundwork has already been done.

Over the past 12 months, BarkingMad, in partnership with the One Revolution Foundation, visited more than 200 animal shelters and rescue organisations across all nine provinces. It is the largest animal shelter study of its kind conducted in South Africa.

These were not quick check-ins. They were on-the-ground conversations with the people on the frontline of animal welfare. Teams spoke openly about daily pressures, funding gaps, municipal challenges, overwhelming intake numbers and the emotional toll of the work. They also shared innovation, resilience and what good practice looks like in communities that are often under-resourced but deeply committed.

The findings confirmed something powerful. While the sector has operated without formal guidelines, it is ready for change.

Currently, there are no nationally recognised minimum standards governing companion animal shelters in South Africa. The absence of a unified framework has left the sector fragmented and vulnerable, despite the extraordinary dedication of those within it.

The visits revealed strong support for introducing standards as a foundation for meaningful, sector-wide progress.

From governance and leadership to animal care protocols and people management, shelters expressed a clear appetite for guidance that reflects the full scope of running ethical, effective organisations.

Global examples were considered. The Association of Dogs and Cats Homes in the United Kingdom, for instance, successfully brought hundreds of organisations together under shared standards. But importing a foreign model would not work here.

South Africa’s shelter landscape is uniquely complex. Limited funding, vast geographic distances, extreme animal overpopulation, socio-economic pressures and inconsistent municipal support all shape the daily reality. The standards being developed will be built for local conditions, not copied from abroad.

This is a sector-led process. Created by the sector, for the sector.

The initiative is supported by UK animal charity Battersea, which has been helping dogs and cats for more than 160 years and works globally to strengthen animal welfare organisations through funding and training.

“Battersea is proud that our commitment to animal welfare extends far beyond the work at our centres in the UK. By supporting BarkingMad in its groundbreaking initiative, Battersea hopes to drive positive, locally led change in the companion animal welfare rescue sector in South Africa, ensuring a lasting impact on the lives of dogs and cats, year after year,” said Beatriz Dal Poz, Grants & Programmes Manager: South Africa.

The next phase will see in-person workshops held around the country, bringing shelter teams together to actively shape and build the Minimum Standards framework. It is designed to be collaborative and practical, ensuring the final standards are credible, achievable and widely supported.

“It is time for one of the most under-resourced sectors in the country to have its moment. A chance to gear up and reach for more. Animal shelters have courage and heart, but professional standards are essential to elevating the impact of our collective efforts.” – One Revolution Foundation

BarkingMad added, “This project is about uplifting the entire animal shelter sector. Our goal has always been to hear every voice, understand the challenges shelters face, and ensure real engagement so that we can co-create collective, achievable minimum standards that truly reflect the sector.”

For a country that loves its pets but has long struggled with overpopulation and stretched welfare systems, this is more than a policy shift. It is a moment of alignment.

Sources: BarkingMad – Supplied

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