The Cape of Good Hope SPCA and the Animal Welfare Society Stellenbosch (AWSS) expressed their profound outrage after two dogs were found hanging in a bush last week.
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The incident was brought to their attention on Tuesday (24 October) when the AWSS received a distressing complaint concerning the discovery near Bottelary Road en route to Stellenbosch.
The organisation immediately dispatched an inspector to the scene and the gruesome sight that greeted him left him extremely disturbed.
Two innocent dogs were found hanging from trees, their necks cruelly constricted by tight wire nooses.
According to an independent eyewitness account, two men were seen leaving their parked vehicle, crossing the road with the two dogs, entering the nearby bushes, and returning without them.
In response to an enquiry into the dogs’ whereabouts, one of the men callously admitted to killing them.
‘What I saw was the most cruel and heartbreaking scene that I have ever seen in my life, said another witness in a sworn affidavit. ‘I found both dogs hanging in the trees with wire wound tightly around their necks.’
‘I touched both bodies to see if they were still alive but they were already dead.’
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‘Both their bodies were still warm to my touch which I believe indicates that the dogs did not die too long before my arrival.’
In response to this appalling incident, AWSS reached out to the Cape of Good Hope SPCA for collaboration in conducting a thorough investigation and pursuing criminal charges.
‘The Cape of Good Hope Inspectorate conducts thousands of animal cruelty investigations annually,’ said general manager of the AWSS, Jessica Perrins. ‘We wanted to ensure the best possible chance of a guilty verdict and the harshest possible sentence in this matter and we thank the SPCA for lending their valuable experience to this investigation.’
After tracing the identities of the two suspects, inspectors from both the SPCA and AWSS, accompanied by the City of Cape Town Law Enforcement: Animal Control Unit, visited the property of the individuals suspected of this heinous act to conduct a full investigation and afford them an opportunity to respond to the allegations on Thursday (26 October).
The owner of the dogs, a 46-year-old woman, admitted to instructing her husband and son to kill their family pets, alleging that the dogs were ill.
Her son also confirmed his involvement in the events and both provided sworn affidavits detailing their actions.
The mother and son showed no remorse or regret for their actions. They agreed to surrender their remaining dog which was discovered by the team on the property during their investigation.
The dog has been taken into the care of the SPCA.
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The SPCA laid criminal charges of animal cruelty against the three suspects at the Stellenbosch South African Police Service (SAPS) on Friday.
All three suspects were arrested and taken to the Stellenbosch SAPS, where they were detained and formally charged.
They are set to appear in the Stellenbosch Magistrates’ Court today to apply for bail, which the SPCA and AWSS will be opposing.
‘Every act of cruelty towards an animal is a stain on our humanity,’ added chief inspector of the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, Jaco Pieterse.
‘We all need to stand together if we ever hope to win the war against it. By working with AWSS, we can ensure that acts like these are met with the full force of the law as a frontline deterrent to perpetrators. The Cape of Good Hope SPCA remains committed to our mission of a kinder world for animals and we welcome the opportunity to guide the AWSS team.’
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Picture: Cape of Good Hope SPCA
