At the end of this month, an auction will take place in Cape Town, bringing together prominent figures from the South African art community to support animal protection programs. The sold works will be displayed in the Bo-Kaap area.
The auction, titled African Tails Art Auction, will be held at the Eric and Claude Foundation on September 17th. All proceeds from the event will go towards the organization's activities, which assist abandoned and vulnerable dogs and cats, including rescue, rehabilitation, feeding, and sterilization.
The local animal welfare organization in Cape Town published a list of participants in a press release on September 9th. It was confirmed that artists and galleries such as Wilma Cruise, Galia Gluckman, Georgina Gratrix, Warren Maroon, Vusumzi Nkomo, Kilmany-Jo Liversage, Josie Borain, and Goodman Gallery have donated their works for this year.
This event also coincides with the 20th anniversary of African Tails, placing the fundraising within the context of two decades of work focused on caring for animals and pets in the city and surrounding areas.
Curated by art consultant Phillippa Duncan, the auction is the largest annual fundraising event for African Tails. The goal of the event is not only to sell artwork but also to attract funding for programs that operate beyond individual animal rescues.
The organization's work includes mass sterilization, feeding, treatment, rehabilitation, and education on pet care in communities where access to animal welfare services is limited.
African Tails reports that since its establishment in Cape Town in 2006, it has sterilized over 18,000 dogs and cats. Furthermore, they have found new homes for more than 2,900 animals, assisted over 4,400, and provided food for more than 18,800 street and neighboring dogs and cats.
The organization places mass sterilization at the center of its approach to animal welfare, alongside educating about responsible pet ownership. They point to the reproductive capacity of unsterilized animals as one factor contributing to the increase in unwanted dogs and cats needing help.
The organization notes that one female dog and her offspring can potentially give birth to up to 67,000 puppies over six years, emphasizing why sterilization constitutes a significant part of their work.
Yael Sacks, board member and co-founder of African Tails, stated that the organization's educational programs aim to have an impact that extends beyond animal care. Sacks noted: 'African Tails creates long-term change through mass sterilization and animal care education in underserved communities. The impact of education goes beyond animal care, helping to instill life skills such as responsibility, empathy, and accountability.'
For African Tails, the 2026 auction marks two decades since the organization's founding in Cape Town. Sacks described this fundraiser as a key source of funding and an opportunity to celebrate the organization's work since 2006. She added: 'This year's auction is not only our most important fundraiser but also a celebration of 20 years of hard work and positive change. We are thrilled and very grateful to the artists who generously donated such wonderful pieces. Every rand we raise will help us continue our vital work. It is also a fun evening where people can meet the artists and discuss the piece over a glass of wine!'
The combination of donated contemporary art and fundraising for animal welfare places this event within the broader creative and philanthropic landscape of Cape Town, while keeping the proceeds focused on the organization's programs.
In-person attendance at the auction will take place on September 17th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Eric and Claude Foundation in Bo-Kaap. Tickets cost 100 Rands and are available on the African Tails website and Instagram account. For those unable to attend in person, the artworks will also be available via BidPro, with online bidding remaining open until September 30th.
Thus, the auction provides two ways to participate while maintaining the central goal: directing funds to African Tails' ongoing work with dogs and cats in Cape Town and surrounding communities.