[VIDEO] Owners who abandoned dog on Myngenoegen road can face charges

POLOKWANE – The National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) says abandoning animals is a contravention of the Animals Protection Act no 71 of 1962, and perpetrators may be subject to a fine, imprisonment or both. 

Public Relations Officer, Keshvi Nair’s words come in the wake of a video making the rounds on social media earlier today, which shows a dog being abandoned on the Myngenoegen road. In the video, a light delivery vehicle can be seen taking a turn off onto a gravel road just off the R71 road. The shocking footage shows a male Pekingese being thrown out the vehicle before making a U-turn and leaving the dog behind.

In dismay, the dog runs after its owners.

The video has sent shockwaves through the community and residents have since tried to locate the people responsible for what they described as an ‘inhumane act’.

“The NSPCA would also want the perpetrator to be denied ownership of animals going forward should they be found guilty,” she said.

Nair added that every SPCA across the country is mandated to accept any unwanted or stray animals.

“This means that if people no longer want their pet (regardless of whether it is a domestic, farm or wild animal) they can surrender it to their local SPCA at no cost to the person surrendering the unwanted or stray animal. We implore the public to rather bring their animals to the SPCA instead of cruelly dumping or abandoning them. There is no excuse for abandoning an animal when the services of the SPCA are available,” Nair added.

Review sent the video to the local SPCA and spoke to inspector Moloko Manaka, who pleaded with residents to bring the animals to them rather than abandoning them.

“Anyone who feels like they cannot look after an animal should please bring their animals to us. They do not necessarily have to wait until we open as there are people on the premises 24/7. There is also a number people can contact,” she explained.

Manaka said they often get calls of residents telling them that they have found an abandoned animal, which they think did not escape but was dropped off somewhere.

“We regularly find a box of animals, or perhaps only one, at our entrance. People sometimes feel embarrassed to surrender their animals and enter the premises, but we plead with them to contact us so that we can make sure none of the animals they left with us, have escaped before we see them,” she concluded.

Review spoke to Liza van Jaarsveld from Lucky Paws, who said the abandoning of pets is happening more often. “We frequently get calls over the weekend about pets being abandoned, especially on the outskirts of the city. We will either contact the SPCA for assistance or a member of Lucky Paws will go out to ensure the animal(s) is safe and secured.”

Concerned residents often give us a helping hand in this regard, she added.

“The abandoned animal is then taken to our local SPCA and they handle the process from there,” she said.

Lucky Paws Rescue LPR – Lost & Found Polokwane is an initiative created to assist residents of Polokwane to find lost pets and getting the right homes for those who get lost.

Liza added that pet owners can contact them and send a private message detailing their plight, before they make the decision to abandon their pet.

The Pekingese from the video has since found someone who has volunteered to look after him, however, not all abandoned pets are this lucky.