On 6 March, the Animal Welfare Society of SA (AWS) received a tip-off about a Doberman who was severely neglected and confined to a cage in the backyard of a residence in Wynberg, Cape Town.
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Upon arrival at the Mortlake Road property, the AWS team was blown away by the overpowering stench of urine and faeces.
In the corner of a filthy metal cage, not bigger than 6 square meters, was a 13-year-old male Doberman, named Aries, in a severely weakened state, having been confined to the cage for years.
The water in the foul-smelling bowl had turned into a breeding ground for algae, and the dog’s diet consisted of two servings of half a loaf of stale bread.
The Doberman was severely compromised, both physically and mentally, due to years of neglect and solitary confinement. His owner admitted to keeping him locked up for “a very, very, very long time”.
“His muscles had wasted away leaving him crippled and mentally broken due to years of solitary confinement and horrific neglect.”
In a statement, the AWS said, “When we opened the cage door Aries dragged himself out and stumbled into the waiting arms of Senior Inspector Mark Levendal who carried him to his vehicle.
“Sadly Aries was too far gone for us to save him and the image of a large teardrop slowly cascading down his left cheek as he quietly bid this world farewell will haunt us until justice is served.”
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According to the veterinarian, there was no medical solution to restore the dog’s mobility.
The case is presently being investigated.
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Picture and Video: The Animal Welfare Society of SA (AWS) / Facebook