THE suspected poachers arrested last week appeared in the Empangeni Magistrate’s Court yesterday (Monday) and have been released given the lack of incriminating evidence.
According to Empangeni police spokesperson Captain Mbongeni Mdlalose, the Public Prosecutor has deemed the case ‘weak’, declining to put it on the court roll.
SPCA chairman, Dave Whittaker said ‘the case was dropped, but it has since been reinstated.’
Last week the Empangeni SAP K9 Unit together with SPCA Empangeni, arrested six men and confiscated 24 hunting dogs in the plantation adjacent to Bronze Drive after receiving a tip-off.
Four of the suspects were minors and were released under parental supervision. The remaining two were arrested and a case of cruelty to animals and illegal hunting was opened against them.
The dogs have been kept at the Empangeni SPCA and were to undergo assessments by the vet.
According to Whittaker, there has been an increase of illegal hunting in the area.
Poachers reportedly collect a few stray dogs and breed them and the dogs are then trained and used for hunting small animals such as buck and cane rats.
‘They become hunting dogs and are trained to kill. Any creature hunted down is torn into pieces.
‘The animals that are hunted are used for food to survive. Cane rat is actually a delicacy to many,’ said Whittaker.
21 OCTOBER
Hunting dog ring bust
A WILD chase after suspected poachers on Saturday led police to sugar cane fields in Empangeni where six men were arrested and 24 hunting dogs confiscated.
The Empangeni SAP K9 Unit together with the SPCA Empangeni made the discovery in the plantation adjacent to Bronze Drive after receiving a tip-off about illegal dogs in the vicinity.
‘We went out on a chase after the poachers in the vicinity of Palm Drive and the Umfolozi Casino but the men made a run for it,’ said SPCA inspector Roland Fivaz.
‘We chased them down in treacherous terrain, with our vehicles, and eventually caught them running toward uMhlathuze Village in the sugar cane fields,’ explained Fivaz.
The six suspects were arrested by the Empangeni SAPS and a case of cruelty to animals and illegal hunting has been opened. Four of the six men are minors.
Police spokesperson Captain Mbongeni Mdlalose said only two men appeared in the Empangeni Magistrate’s Court on Monday as the minors were released under parental supervision until their next court appearance.
Fivaz said the dogs were at the SPCA and would be assessed by a vet this week.
‘We are grateful to the SAPS K9 Unit on making the arrests and detaining the suspects. We now have to follow due processes as the matter is in the hands of the court,’ said SPCA Chairperson Dave Whittaker.
‘There has been an increase of illegal hunting, which has affected the general ecological balance. It is disturbing and it needs to stop,’ added Whittaker.
Poachers reportedly collect a few stray dogs and breed them and the dogs are then trained and used for hunting small animals such as buck and cane rats.
‘They become hunting dogs and are trained to kill. Any creature it is exposed to, it tears into pieces,’ explained Whittaker.
‘Mostly the animals that are hunted are used for food. Cane rat is actually a delicacy to many,’ added Whittaker.
