The Cape of Good Hope SPCA has welcomed the hefty six-year sentence handed down to four suspects who were found guilty of brutally attacking a Cape fur seal on Monwabisi Beach earlier this year.
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In January, the SPCA was alerted to a harrowing scene when a group of men were spotted attempting to kill an adult Cape fur seal by hurling large rocks at the trapped and terrified animal.
Fortunately, swift intervention by a City of Cape Town law enforcement officer prevented further harm.
The officer detained the suspects until SPCA Inspector Werner Taljaard and trainee inspector Eugene Links arrived.
Due to the gruesome injuries it suffered, including severe facial and skull fractures, the seal was promptly transported to a 24-hour veterinary clinic, where it had to be euthanised. The seal’s mouth bled profusely, one eye was crushed, and most of its teeth had been violently broken off.
The accused faced animal cruelty charges under the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962. They were also charged with hunting a protected species without a permit, violating the Threatened or Protected Marine Species (ToPS) Regulations of 2017 and the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act (NEMBA) 10 of 2004.
The Khayelitsha Regional Court handed down a sentence of six years imprisonment, suspended for five years, contingent upon several conditions, including that they:
- Avoid convictions under sections of the National Environment Management: Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004.
- Write and submit a 500-word essay on marine mammals, highlighting the importance of wildlife and education for preservation, drawing from the book ‘Marine Mammals: A guide to the whales, dolphins and seals of Southern Africa and Southern Oceans’ by Chris and Mathilda Stuart.
- Share this essay on their Facebook walls and submit to the Clerk of Court Khayelitsha by specified deadlines.
- Undertake 18 months of community service, clocking a minimum of 16 hours monthly at SPCA-designated branches.
- Make consistent financial contributions totalling R2000 each to the SPCA.
‘We welcome this judgement and will ensure the convicts abide by the court’s mandate,’ said Chief Inspector of the Cape of Good Hope SPCA Jaco Pieterse in reaction to the verdict.
‘Our aim is to teach these individuals compassion, a value crucial for the wellbeing of society and its creatures.’
Magistrate D Francke, presiding over the case, expressed stern sentiments about the culprits. ‘These four young men committed a grievous offense. Facing this Court, it’s evident they fail to grasp the gravity of their actions.’
The incident serves as a bleak reminder of the urgent need for increased awareness and education on animal rights and welfare.
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Picture: Cape of Good Hope SPCA