DOMESTIC animals used as target practice raises its ugly head on a regular basis in Zululand, especially in residential areas.
Empangeni resident Pat Hubbard was recently exposed to this cruelty.
Living in a small gated community, she lost her second cat in a matter of months, and her greatest fear was that it probably suffered a prolonged, painful death.
‘My ginger cat never goes far and when she did not come home I began to worry,’ Hubbard explained.
After frantically searching the entire complex and speaking to neighbours, there was still no sign of the cat.
In desperation Hubbard went to the SPCA to ascertain if anybody had brought in a ginger cat.
‘The lady behind the counter told me one had been brought in, but the poor creature had been shot with a pellet gun and was at the Empangeni vet. The strange thing was it had been found in my complex and I really assumed it must have been my cat.’
It turned out not to be hers, but one she had seen around the complex.
‘It was still young and healthy when I saw it a few days before. What shocked me the most though, was the bullet hole in the poor cat’s chest and the shattered pelvis caused by the pellet.’
Empangeni SPCA Inspector, Roland Fivas, confirmed the incident saying ‘the cat was shot with a pellet gun. It is at the Empangeni vet for treatment’.
‘The person that shot it can face charges under the Animals Protection Act, the Municipal Bylaws and the Firearms Act. Please folks do NOT buy your kids pellet guns. These things are dangerous,’ he said.
Firearms Act
According to the Firearms Control Act –It is an offence to discharge a firearm, an antique firearm or an airgun in a built-up area or any public place, without good reason to do so.
Fivas added ‘anybody seen firing an airgun in a residential or built-up area should be reported to the SAPS. If anybody is seen firing at any animal, domestic or wild, they must be reported to the SPCA immediately’.
‘Cruelty to animals can not be tolerated.’
However to ensure these laws are affective and respected, the community needs to become more proactive by reporting blatant disregard of life and laws witnessed on a daily basis.
