Sentencing in animal cruelty case set for June
Colonel Amos Tsotetsi, Florida Police station commander confirmed that a docket was opened for a number of contraventions of the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962.
The community’s relationship with animals is dysfunctional as most humans would say they love animals yet some of them would act extremely violent towards animals
People sometimes witness such acts of cruelty or come across instances of animals being neglected or in need of emergency assistance.
Unfortunately there is a big market for power-breed dogs – 90% of the time for the wrong reasons.
On June 3 last year SPCA Roodepoort/ Krugersdorp Senior Inspector Taljaard followed up on a complaint about pit bulls with puppies being chained to concrete drain pipes in the cold, wet weather.
Inspector Taljaard discovered that three adult dogs were chained to the pipes and the five puppies were huddling together.
According to Inspector Taljaard, the dogs had probably been chained for a long time, with the chains dragging on the ground as all the veld grass had been rubbed away.
As there was nobody on the property, a warning was left for the owner to contact the inspector within 12 hours.
However in the next day, the inspector had not heard from the owner and a warrant of arrest was obtained from the magistrate’s court.
Inspector Taljaard was accompanied by other inspectors and two Florida Police members to the property to execute the warrant of arrest.
After finding the property chained and padlocked, the lock was cut and the team entered the property to find the living conditions of the dogs exactly the same as the previous day.
A female owner and her adolescent son were found on the property but when the police tried to issue the warrant of arrest they refused to accept it.
As the inspectors started cutting the dogs free, the boy tried to free one of the female dogs and run away with it, but a police member was able to apprehend him.
All eight dogs were taken to the Roodepoort Krugersdorp SPCA where they were examined by their assisting veterinarian.
According to the veterinary report, the dogs had clearly been eating their own faeces and the pups had not been given additional dog food.
Also read: https://www.citizen.co.za/roodepoort-record/2019/05/02/spca-opens-case-against-dog-killer/
They had sucked their mother dry in an attempt to stay alive, and all eight dogs had contracted the deadly distemper virus. They had to be euthanised humanely.
Colonel Amos Tsotetsi, Florida Police station commander confirmed that a docket was opened for a number of contraventions of the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962.
The owner appeared in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court on May 11 and pleaded guilty to all charges in terms of the act. Sentencing was postponed to June 13.
Colonel Tsotetsi told the Record that the case was remanded for June, and the station was waiting for the docket with instructions from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to be able to provide an update.
How to report cruelty to animals:
• Contact your local SPCA as quickly as possible by telephone. Save their number on your phone.
• For record purposes, the informant will be asked to give his or her name, address and contact number. The identity of informants is kept strictly confidential.
• A detailed description of what has been witnessed or what is taking place is needed, plus the exact location.
• At a later stage the informant will be given feedback and may be asked for any additional details.
Contact the Roodepoort Krugersdorp SPCA on 011 672 0448
