A seven-month-old vervet monkey was found lying paralysed under a car in the Kew Gardens complex in Fynn Road on Sunday, 6 July.
She had been shot in her spine with a lead airgun pellet and sadly had to be euthanased.
“We saw the baby monkey by our wheel at about 6pm,” said Jaco Kilian, who was with his wife Nakita and son Jayden.
“She was dragging her back legs and we thought perhaps the gate had gone over her legs.”
The Kilians put the monkey in a washing basket and waited for Steve Smit and Carol Booth of Monkey Helpline to arrive.
When they examined her, they found she had been shot in the hand, arm and back with a pellet gun and she had ‘roasties’ from dragging her back legs.
“People need to realise how devastating these guns are. If we didn’t find her, she could have lived for two weeks in excruiting pain. Her bowels and intestines would not have worked properly.
How can people be so cruel? It’s so sad,” said Jaco.
According to Steve and Carol, Toti has the highest incidents of monkeys being shot with airguns.
“Relentless persecution of monkeys in Amanzimtoti by a few violently intolerant individuals continues to tarnish the reputation of this town,” said Carol.
“It is time the good residents of Amanzimtoti stood up to be counted by identifying and seeking prosecution of the cowardly bullies who use airguns illegally to cause indescribable pain and suffering to monkeys and other animals.
Thanks to Nakita, Jaco and Jayden for calling us and securing this tot until we arrived.”
A four-year-old pregnant adult female Tracy Rowles of Umsizi was looking after died from a shot to her head about two weeks ago.
“She had been shot in the head with a pellet gun and was found lying on the pavement in Bailey Street in Athlone Park,” said Tracy.
