Animal rehab centre decries wild pet keeping as maimed pregnant duiker dies

THE Centre for Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) warns the public of the cruelty they inflict when following the infamously growing trend of keeping wild animals as pets.

While the Durban-based centre shares many happy memories of previously distressed animals that now live their days out peacefully in the wild, not all cases have a happy ending.

CROW is one of South Africa’s longest serving wildlife rehabilitation centres. Based in Yellowwood Park, it assists wild animals in distress throughout the province. The centre shared the heartbreaking case of a pregnant blue duiker who lost her life because she had been kept in the wrong conditions, as a household pet.

“A heavily pregnant blue duiker was recently dropped off at CROW after being rescued from a house where it was kept as a pet,” said CROW’s Chandré de Bruyn.

“Following a thorough physical examination conducted by the clinic team, it was discovered that the animals’s hooves had been cut down to the nerves with some sort of cutting tool, or from being housed on a concrete floor. This resulted in excruciating pain and stress for the duiker, which was compounded by her pregnancy. If that wasn’t enough, her horns had also been filed down, stripping away her only line of defense when faced with a confrontation. This only adds more stress on this defenseless creature. ”

Incase you missed this: CROW clean-up at Stainbank Nature Reserve 

Chandré explained this was maiming, which is the act of removing important parts of an animal, which is in fact illegal. Types of maiming include teeth filing or pulling, cutting and pulling out of claws or nails, the filing down of horns, hooves as well as the docking of tails or ears for aesthetic purposes.

“Some of these heinous acts are rationalised by people as a way of safeguarding their children or pets from the hazards of keeping a wild animal as a pet,” she said. “Yet the illegal keeping of indigenous wild animals and the seemingly legal trade and ownership of exotic wildlife, is growing at a rapid rate, with only a handful of organisations on the forefront of this silent war.”

In the case of the blue duiker, due to the high levels of stress and pain imposed on the mother, her unborn baby had died before any veterinary intervention was possible. The mother wasn’t far behind.

“Two lives were lost because a person decided they had the right to contain this animal against its will, perform inhumane acts of maiming and ultimately killing a mother and her unborn child,” she said. “We are the smarter species, and I use that term loosely. We all have phones and internet. I urge anyone who finds a wild animal in need to contact their local wildlife authority or rehabilitation facility. Sometimes these animals aren’t even in need and should be left where they are, or gently moved to a safer area. We all need to work together to ensure the preservation of wild populations.”

Read also: CROW counts costs as baby season booms 

If you would like to assist CROW look after injured, displaced or orphaned wildlife, join their One-Thousand-One-Hundred Club membership programme. For R100 a month, you can help CROW give thousands of injured and orphaned wildlife a second chance.

Through CROW’s 1000-100 Club campaign, the organisation hopes to get 1,000 people to commit to donating just R100 a month.

All club donations go towards covering CROW’s essential operating costs such as its monthly vets and medical bills, animal food and fuel for its wildlife rescue and release vehicles. For more information on how to join, email info@crowkzn.co.za.

DID YOU KNOW?
Click on the words highlighted in red to read more on this and related topics. 
To receive news links via WhatsApp, send an invite to 061 694 6047
The South Coast Sun is also on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest – why not join us there?

Do you have more information pertaining to this story?
Feel free to let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist.

(Comments posted on this issue may be used for publication in the Sun)