Monkey activist to have shooter prosecuted for baby’s death

Monkey Helpline’s Steve Smit was horrified when he was confronted with a three-and-a-half-month-old baby monkey which died after being shot with a lead pellet from an air gun on Sunday, 26 March.

Steve continues that after involving the Amanzimtoti SAPS, the perpetrator of the abuse of this animal will face the justice they deserve.

“He didn’t have the guts to admit what he had done but admitted to having shot randomly towards the monkeys to chase them away,” said Steve. “Then his wife continued giving me just the information I needed to add to what I had already been told by him, threatening to ‘continue shooting monkeys until they stop coming into their garden and home’.”

Armed with the information, Steve intends opening a case at the Amanzimtoti SAPS, requesting that the SAPS open a docket so that charges can be brought against these people in terms of the Firearms Control Act and the Animal Protection Act.

Read also: Child mistaken for monkey shot dead in KZN

“We have the body of the shot monkey and our vet will conduct a post mortem, X-rays included and provide a post mortem report which will be added to the docket,” said the avid animal lover. “This serves as another one of the many incidents that strengthen our resolve to have laws passed by government to ban the unconditional private ownership of air guns in South Africa.”

Read also:

Monkey shooter evicted

Look out for monkey shooters

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