Watch: SPCA supervisor calms frightened rescues by singing to them
Randal Cato is a mensch - he serenades the Cape SPCA's four-legged guests to show them that they’re finally safe.
Randall Cato. Image: Cape of Good Hope SPCA
Animals rescued by the SPCA are often abused or lost, and usually scared.
Randal Cato has developed his own method of calming rescues on admission, which includes singing to them.
A pound supervisor at the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, Cato says this area of work is the first stop for animals in crisis.
The job involves a range of duties but this mensch of a man considers making sure that every animal receives the primary healthcare, attention, and dignity they deserve, to be at the core of it.
Under often stressful circumstances, this environment can be taxing for the humans involved as well as their charges, which is where the singing comes in.
"We meet every animal with love and care, but the truth is - we’re constantly working uphill against the volume and the heartbreak."
Randal Cato, Pound Supervisor - Cape of Good Hope SPCA
"Singing to the animals during admissions is something small, but it makes a big difference. Animals are intuitive; they can sense when a human is stressed. Singing calms them - and calms me too... I reassure them that they’re safe now."
Randal Cato, Pound Supervisor - Cape of Good Hope SPCA
Cato started off at the organisation nearly 20 years ago as an animal welfare assistant, later becoming a dispensary clerk, and then the hospital supervisor.
He briefly interrupted this service with a stint at a dog hotel and daycare, but soon found himself drawn back to the place 'that feels most like home'.
In October, this animal-lover will celebrate four years back as pound supervisor.
And the Cape SPCA couldn't be happier.
"With nearly two decades of experience and a heart full of love for animals, Randal is proof that the right people in the right roles really do make all the difference."
Cape of Good Hope SPCA