Hunting dogs caught during search for snares
BLUE HILLS – Volunteers searching for illegal snares in the Blue Hills area find more than they expect.
A number of domestic animals have recently been harmed by being caught in snares in the Blue Hills area.
The Greater Kyalami Conservancy (Gekco) was asked to organise a snare clean-up to try and prevent more animals being harmed in this way, and so, members of the community joined in on a snare hunt.
Members of the community, Gekco members and the Midrand Sector 4 Community Policing Forum (CPF) met at Midfeeds to search for the snares. Two parties were formed, one to search west and one to search east of the R55.
The group on the West of the R55 noticed four youths hunting with dogs. Hunting without a permit, and especially without the concession of the landowner, is illegal and the CPF and community members detained the young hunters and called the SPCA.
When the youngsters were asked why they were hunting, they said they were doing it because they were bored. They live in RDP houses and were all fairly well dressed and their dogs were in a good condition. They said they would be happy if they had a soccer ball to play with instead.
The Midrand SPCA arrived and took the dogs into their possession. It was noticed that one of the dogs was currently feeding young and it was established that a litter had recently been born and there were nine puppies at one of the boy’s residences. This was of concern to the youngsters as they did not know how they would feed the puppies, so the SPCA took all nine into custody for re-homing.
The SPCA said that they would sterilise all the dogs and inform the parents of the children that they were committing an illegal activity.
Concerned members of the community suggested the children were hunting for food.
Hunting with dogs is often associated with gambling and, in some areas, up to R30 000 can be won by the hunter with the best dog, according to Anton van Niekerk, Secretary of Gekco.
He also explained that when dogs are used for hunting the targeted prey is unspecific and any animal, bird or domestic animal is chased down and mauled by the dogs. It is extremely cruel and, if the dogs have only injured the animal, it is then clubbed to death.
Activities such as this are illegal for a reason and have led to the decimation of animals such as the oribi in KwaZulu-Natal.
