The Record was as shocked as the community about the following story. Do get a copy of the Record’s 7 March issue for the full shocking story.
On 13 February a trainee paramedic, Christopher Ritchie, was sentenced in the Roodepoort Magistrates’ Court to three months’ imprisonment or a R1 000 fine suspended for five years on a charge of animal cruelty.
Ritchie also was declared unfit to keep animals.
The incident that took place approximately three months ago, was caught on a cellphone camera by one of his neighbours who then reported Ritchie to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and provided them with the video evidence.
According to Roodepoort SPCA Manager Mandy Cattanach, Ritchie kicked and beat the two white German Shepard puppies within an inch of their lives, however the SPCA was able to save the two dogs.