Discover the legal rights, responsibilities, and protections that apply to pets in South Africa.

This course explores pet ownership as a legal concept, covering everything from adoption, registration, and custody disputes to housing rules and public space regulations. Learn how the law addresses pet welfare, dangerous animals, and owner liability. We’ll also explore ethical debates, the shift toward recognizing animals as sentient beings, and efforts to reform pet law. Perfect for legal professionals, animal advocates, and responsible pet owners.

When and where?

29 to 31 October 2025, 9:00 to 11:00 SAST

This course will be held remotely, most likely on Zoom - exact details will be sent to registered participants a few days before the course.

Course outline

The following topics will be covered:

Introduction to Pet Law in South Africa

  • What is "Pet Law"? – Scope and relevance in SA legal landscape 
  • Legal status of pets: Property, dependents, or something more? 
  • Constitutional rights and their indirect impact on pet ownership (Section 24: Environmental rights) 
  • The evolving philosophy around animal sentience and guardianship

Legal Ownership and Transfer of Pets

  • Pets as movable property: legal implications of ownership 
  • Buying, selling, adopting – contracts and transfer of ownership 
  • Microchipping, tagging, and registration: rights and duties 
  • Ownership disputes: stolen pets, rehoming, or post-separation conflict

Welfare, Care, and Responsibility

  • Duties of care under the Animals Protection Act (APA) 
  • The role of the SPCA and other welfare organisations 
  • Neglect, abandonment, abuse – criminal and civil consequences 
  • Veterinary care and liability 
  • What is “reasonable care” for a pet under South African law?

Housing, Complexes, and Community Living

  • Pet ownership in Sectional Title Schemes and HOAs 
  • The impact of the Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act 
  • Pet policies, rules, and the right to a pet: balancing individual rights and communal living 
  • Case law: pet bans, disputes, and legal challenges

Dangerous and Nuisance Animals

  • Laws relating to dangerous dogs and aggressive pets 
  • Local by-laws regulating barking, roaming, and animal control 
  • Liability for damage or injury caused by pets (including under the actio de pauperie) 
  • Handling complaints, warnings, and municipal interventions

Divorce, Death, and Custody of Pets

  • Who gets the dog? – Pets in divorce and relationship breakdowns 
  • Agreements and settlements relating to pet custody 
  • Pets in wills and deceased estates: bequeathing and inheritance 
  • Practical and ethical considerations for the “best interest” of the pet

Pet Law in Public Spaces

  • Pet travel, parks, beaches, and public transport 
  • Municipality-specific by-laws and leash laws 
  • Responsibilities of pet owners in public 
  • Dealing with stray, lost, or impounded pets

Reform, Rights & Future Directions

  • Emerging calls for legal reform: recognizing pets as sentient beings 
  • The global shift towards animal guardianship models 
  • Campaigns for pet protection legislation (e.g. anti-puppy mill laws) 
  • Role of legal professionals in advancing pet welfare

Who will benefit from this course?

Legal professionals (attorneys and advocates) and local government officials

Presenter

Lisa V. Thomas, a former criminal defence advocate and professional legal assistant in Durban, has a wealth of experience in both private and public law practice. Lisa earned her LLB from the University of Kwazulu-Natal (Howard College Campus), completed her pupillage, and was admitted as an advocate/barrister in 2008. A passionate advocate for humanity and ethics in the South African legal profession, Lisa is especially committed to supporting entry-level legal professionals. Lisa shares her extensive legal expertise through LinkedIn teaching posts, a mentorship and career coaching platform, and her legal academy. She also provides ad-hoc litigation training for legal professionals and is a presenter with SA Legal Academy, where she developed their candidate attorney short course. Guided by empathy and authenticity, Lisa is devoted to being a lifelong resource for aspiring legal professionals.

Michelle Wolmarans brings over 40 years of hands-on experience and a wide range of qualifications in dog and equine sporting disciplines. A skilled animal handler and trainer, she holds Western Province colours in SAWDOS and qualified as a KUSA Aptitude Judge in 1997. She has trained and competed with numerous dogs across various working categories. As an amateur ethologist and animal behaviourist, Michelle is deeply committed to ongoing study and has developed several training programmes tailored to the animal welfare sector. In 2012, the NSPCA approached Michelle to revive the dormant Oudtshoorn SPCA, marking the beginning of her formal involvement in animal welfare. Since then, she has served as an authorised Animal Welfare Inspector, gaining firsthand insight into the significant knowledge gaps within SAPS and the legal sector regarding animal protection. In 2023, Michelle founded AHAWE, focusing on the creation of a nationally recognised Animal Welfare and Protection qualification on South Africa’s NQF. Her goal is to professionalise the sector. She is recognised as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) and holds NQF Level 5 qualifications as a Facilitator, Assessor, and Moderator. She has also recently completed advanced training in designing and developing educational material.

Colette Barnard is a multidisciplinary professional with over fourteen years of experience in the animal welfare sector, where she has worked extensively in law enforcement, education, public engagement, and nonprofit leadership. Her career began with the SPCA movement and evolved into a national role with the NSPCA’s Farm Animal Protection Unit, where she was involved in high-level investigations, inspections, legal proceedings, and stakeholder engagement. She has authored internal protocols, field manuals, and SOPs, and has presented training content at both introductory and refresher levels. Whether developing onboarding systems for new staff, leading public education initiatives, or advising on welfare standards and legislation, Colette brings a unique blend of practical experience, subject matter knowledge, and people-centered communication. As a freelance contributor to AHAWE, Colette has assisted in shaping educational content and advising on the development of legal and welfare-related training materials. Her current focus is on supporting the creation of CPD-accredited learning opportunities that bridge animal protection and legal education, ensuring that both students and professionals in the legal field are equipped with relevant, accessible, and ethically grounded training. 

How much?

R2,970 per person

Certificate

A digital certificate of attendance from UCT will be issued to those who attend the full course.

How to sign up

Complete and submit the registration form. You will then be given the payment information. Please note that registrations will not be considered complete until payment has been made.

One or two days before the course, we will send you the Zoom link. You will need to register and use a password to access the course.

Registrations close three days before the course starts.

Download the brochure.

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