A tragic story of ignorance

While the hunt for the suspect and the dogs continues – one cannot help but fear all is lost.

The dogs were allegedly collected from a resident in Fourways and transported to Hillbrow. An eyewitness saw the dogs and the condition they were in and followed the bakkie to Hillbrow – all the while trying to contact authorities, hoping someone would come to the dogs’ aid.

Unfortunately, respondents were not quick enough to act on the eyewitness’ information and, as a result, it seems the suspects have jumped the border and the dogs’ fate is dim, if they have one at all.

While it is easy to point fingers and say the SPCA should have acted quicker, the under-resourced and overwhelmed organisation can only do so much. Since the story broke, the SPCA has been incredible and has used every resource available to them to track the dogs.

Thank you and well done Sandton SPCA and the team involved in this case!

There are so many things wrong with this story, it is hard to find where to begin. Why did the resident give his dogs away, to complete stranger, not knowing what would happen to them?

Well, your guess is as good as any.

People can be so ignorant and selfish when it comes to animals and their rights. I hope the resident in question has learned his lesson and feels bloody awful about what happened. I also hope the SPCA is able to lay charges against him … what the charges would be though, is a mystery … he needs to pay for what he did and teach others the valuable lesson of ‘Don’t give your pets away to strangers’. One would think this is pretty obvious, but maybe not.

Regarding the driver of the bakkie – most people are at a loss for words. How can someone be so cruel? Dogs and all living animals are unique. They have personalities and feel pain – just as humans do. They are not objects that one can abuse and treat like dirt.

This man deserves to feel the might of the law. What he did is unforgivable and disgusting.

People who abuse and mistreat animals are of a different ilk and, I for one, am ashamed of their actions.

To read the latest update on the dogs, as well as an exclusive interview with the owners of the pets, go to www.northeasterntribune.co.za