Dog mutilated and skinned, SPCA offers reward to find perpetrators
SPCA trainee inspector finds dog with one side of its body completely skinned and the organs hanging outside the body.
The Bedfordview and Germiston SPCA’s trainee inspector, Taryn Bannister, made a horrifying discovery while on her way to collect some dogs last Sunday.
Bannister was driving past the Marathon informal settlement when she saw a group of people surrounding what appeared to be a dog.
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She decided to investigate and found a cross-breed Africanus dog with one side of its body completely skinned and the organs hanging outside the body.
The people surrounding the dog at the time immediately fled the scene.
“The dog was dead upon discovery,” said Cathy Valente-Parkinson, a member of the Bedfordview and Germiston SPCA committee.
“It is uncertain what transpired prior to the incident that led to the dog being killed and skinned, or if the dog was even killed before being skinned.
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“What is equally concerning is that not a single person who saw the animal in such a condition was willing to report the incident.”
This follows another incident in September, nearby the same informal settlement, in which a group of men reportedly beat a dog nearly to death with rocks, bottles and other items.
“It is alleged that the beating was due to the dog ‘disturbing’ the men’s drinking gathering,” said Valente-Parkinson.
“According to a local person, the dog was always friendly and loved by everyone nearby.
“The group of men are apparently not known by the local people and just came there to drink.”
The Bedfordview and Germiston SPCA also attended to the beaten dog and found that its jaw had been broken in several places, its eye socket shattered and several of its ribs broken. The dog had severe brain damage, with blood pooling out of its eyes, ears, nose and mouth.
The SPCA humanely euthanased the dog to prevent further suffering.
“To date no one has been able to provide the Bedfordview and Germiston SPCA with further details of the incident, which is hampering us from pursuing the matter,” Valente-Parkinson said.
“Acts such as these are barbaric and often premeditated, heinous crimes, causing severe amounts of pain and suffering with no empathy or remorse for another living being.
“People involved in acts like these need to be reported to the local SPCA and SAPS, as the people responsible for this are a danger to society and need to be dealt with according to the law.”
The NEWS is in possession of photos of both of the dogs but they are too graphic for publication.
The Bedfordview and Germiston SPCA is offering a reward of R5 000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest of the criminals responsible for the pain and suffering caused to either of these animals.
Contact the Bedfordview and Germiston SPCA on 011 825 5033.
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