The Special Projects Unit focuses on various portfolios which do not fall within the traditional domestic, farm or wild categories.
Below are the focus areas of this unit:
The Special Projects Unit (SPU) operates across diverse, high-impact portfolios bound by a single, uncompromising commitment: preventing cruelty, enforcing the law, and elevating animal welfare standards across South Africa. At our core, the SPU is dedicated to tackling organized animal crime. We conduct complex, high-stakes investigations into animal fighting syndicates, illegal hunting, online animal cruelty networks, and severe cases of maiming and sexual abuse of animals, ensuring that offenders face the full weight of Animal Protection Legislation.
Beyond criminal enforcement, our operational reach extends to protecting animals in service, transit, and human-wildlife conflict. Through our out-of-area domestic complaints portfolio, the Special Projects Unit also provides a vital lifeline for animals in remote or remote communities, taking action where no local SPCA or welfare organization exists to protect them. Additionally, our inspectors travel nationwide to safeguard working animals across both the private security sector and state institutions—including SAPS, SANDF, Correctional Services, and SARS Customs.
To protect animals in motion, we enforce strict, humane transport standards across South Africa’s land borders, seaports, and international airports. We also advocate ethical, non-lethal management solutions for damage-causing species such as bats and rodents, actively opposing any pest control methods that inflict unnecessary pain, distress, or suffering.
