On Tuesday morning, August 31, the Animal Welfare Society of SA visited Makulu Bend Informal settlement, which is located in the heart of the Philippi horticultural area, where they came across neglected pigs living in disgraceful conditions.
The only shelter available to the pigs was an inadequate rickety windowless canopy that left the pigs completely exposed to the icy-cold wind and rain with no dry place to sleep.
The only food available to the pigs were some lettuce leaves on the filthy ground with no sign of any clean water to drink from. Their enclosure resembled a derelict prison made from rusted bits of wire fencing, broken pieces of plywood and sheets of rusted galvanised iron.
Despite being cold and hungry, it took a while before they warmed up to the Animal Welfare Society of SA and allowed them to document their plight without trespassing.
“We attempted to locate their owner without success but soon after our departure he arrived at our offices spoiling for a fight. His language was as filthy as his pigsty but this did not intimidate us,” says the Animal Welfare Society of SA.
“He has been given 24 hours to remedy all of the shortcomings that we noted failing which we will confiscate the pigs and charge him with cruelty to animals,” they add.
The Animal Welfare Society of SA has also notified the State Veterinarian of the pigs who have probably never been vaccinated or dewormed and may be ideal vectors for African Swine Fever – a highly contagious and deadly viral disease affecting pigs of all ages.
Picture/s: Supplied