SPCA refutes woman’s claims against them
Goslings euthanased after being separated from their mother.
The on-going drought affects everyone, this includes animals.
This became apparent when an Elsburg resident recently discovered four goslings in her pool.
“At about 4pm I discovered that four goslings had wandered away from their mother and come for a swim in my pool,” she said.
She called the SPCA to come and help to get the babies out of the pool and back to their mother.
“The SPCA came and collected the goslings but did not reunite them with their mother, after I told them where the nest was.
“Instead, the inspector took them back to the SPCA.
“All I wanted was for the SPCA to give the babies back to their mother because she was crying for her babies,” she said.
She added that the metro and the SPCA are aware of the animals at the Elsburg Dam, and yet have made no effort to care for them or the dam.
The GCN contacted the manager and senior inspector of the Germiston SPCA, Burt Coetzee, for comment on the matter.
“Our inspector went to pick up the goslings from Elsburg,” he explained.
“He had to wait outside the property, due to the aggressive dogs inside, while the owner went and fetched the goslings.
“It is suspected that the goslings went inside her property with their mother but, due to the dogs, they were separated from the mother.”
Coetzee added that the homeowner didn’t show the inspector where the mother goose was, or they would have been returned to her immediately.
“Due to there being no entrance to the veld close to the home’s driveway, our inspector went around the corner to Wassenaar Street, where he was able to enter the veld,” he said.
“He searched for the mother but was unable to find her; he then returned to the SPCA with the goslings.
“The goslings were still very young (under a week) and could not eat or survive on their own; without the mother they would have died from hunger and malnourishment.
“To prevent any suffering we rather humanely euthanased the goslings; all efforts were exhausted to reunite them with the mother were exhausted, but this was not possible.”
Coetzee concluded his statement by stating that if the SPCA did not care about the animals they would not have collected the goslings or gone to such lengths to try to reunite them with their mother.
Other articles you may be interested in:
SPCA needs donations to purchase new bakkie
SPCA full to the brim due to torrid festive season
