Petros Ntuli has been at Kloof & Highway SPCA for 19 years and holds the position of Assistant Kennel Supervisor.
His colleagues affectionately state that Petros is gentle, kind, and has an amazing way of calming the most scared and distressed animal. He is passionate, dedicated, loyal, always smiling and goes over and beyond the call of duty to help each department at the Kloof & Highway SPCA. He is a rock and lovingly referred to as Baba G, as he is like a father to everyone.
His animal handling skills are exceptional and he is always prepared to help his colleagues. He loves working with animals every day, seeing them recover from health conditions and find a loving home. He also enjoys going with the Inspectors into the field and helping and educating animal owners who are financially battling.
Interview with Petros
Name: Petros Ntuli
Age: 57
Area of residence: Pietermaritzburg
How long have you been at the Kloof SPCA? 19 years
What is it that you love about your job?
Dealing with animals each day. The best feeling is when they arrive scared and unhappy you have a chance to make them feel safe and happy.
Describe a typical day in your shoes (from the time you wake up to when you get back home at the end of the day)
I wake up at 5 am every morning and make my bed and have a bath and get ready for work. I get to work early and have my breakfast and change into my work clothes. Every day is different, and you never know what will happen in a day there are so many things. My first job of the day is to bring animals from the standby kennels who have been brought in after hours, into the pound. I will vaccinate, weigh them and do a general health check, I need to make sure they are ok and understand they are safe now. I will then take any sick or injured animals up to our clinic and then get back and have my morning meeting with the kennel supervisor Lara where we will talk about our day ahead and what animals need to be vaccinated, sterilised and also discuss any behavioural issues or problems we need to solve. I then clean the standby kennels and make sure they have food and are comforting for new animals. During the rest of the day I help the inspectors who arrive with scared or aggressive dogs as they need an experienced hand to help. Every day is different. Once I finish work, I go home and make dinner and lunch for the next day. I do my ironing and cleaning and have a bath before bed.
How has Covid-19 affected your work at the Kloof and Highway SPCA?
I have more animals to care for. So many people have lost their jobs and they are struggling to feed their families. We are all working as a team at the SPCA in area needed. Some days I help to drive stock to our thrift shops or collect donated goods. We do what is needed.
What are you most looking forward to doing once the lockdown has been lifted?
To visit my family.
Do you have any animals? What are they and how old are they?
Yes, I have 2 dogs. One is 5 years old and the other one is old he is 10 years old.
What is one animal related story from the Kloof SPCA that will always stick with you?
About a year ago we were trying to catch a dog which was loose on our property. We suspected the dog was Rabid because of its behaviour and the sounds it made. When I first tried to catch the dog, it ran up to me and tried to bite me! I jumped into a banana tree to get away! It then left me! I got a net and hid in the bushes waiting quietly for the dog to come past me again and as he came by, he never saw me in the bush, and I caught him with the net! When the dog was sent for testing it did have Rabies and we found out it had run all the way up the M13 to the SPCA thank God.
If there was one place you could go to in the world right now, where would it be and why?
PMB – My place, it’s my home!
What is the first thing you would buy if you won the lotto?
I would buy a house – a big house because I have a big family! Then I can also take all the dogs home!
What is your spirit animal and why do you think that?
Bhubesi – A lion! They are big and brave, they are loyal and have a big family.
As a dad, how has life changed for you when it comes to ensuring the safety of your children?
We have to explain to our children about COVID19 and explain why everyone is staying at home. We make sure they understand it is serious and a killer.
What would your superpower be if you could choose one?
I wish I could speak to animals. I want to tell them they are safe with me. I will not hurt them, I want to help them. I want to know who hurt them. All of them have a story.
If you were not working at the Kloof SPCA, what job do you think you would have?
I think I would have been a farmer at home, planting things and growing them.
