The Animal Welfare Society Stellenbosch (AWSS) will continue to oppose the bail applications of three people arrested on charges of animal cruelty last week.
This after the gruesome discovery of two dogs found hanging from trees, their necks constricted by tight wire nooses, in a bush near Bottelary Road last Tuesday (24 October). The incident has been condemned by both the AWSS and the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, who in a joint statement expressed their profound outrage at the incident that has left both organisations reeling in shock.
The three suspects, a father, mother and son from Kraaifontein, appeared in the Stellenbosch Magistrates’ Court on Monday (30 October) and were released on a warning. The three are due back in the dock next month.
The statement said the AWSS had received a distressing complaint following the horrific 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.
“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. Feeling unsafe and shocked, the witness left the scene and reported the incident.”
Another traumatised witness attested the following in a sworn affidavit: “What I saw was the most cruel and heartbreaking scene I had ever seen in my life. I found both dogs hanging from the trees, wire wound tightly around their necks. I touched both bodies to see if they were still alive, but they were already dead. Both their bodies were still warm to my touch, which I believe indicated that the dogs did not die too long before my arrival.”
Following the incident AWSS reached out to the SPCA for collaboration in conducting an investigation and pursuing criminal charges. “The SPCA’s inspectorate conducts thousands of animal cruelty investigations annually,” said AWSS general manaher 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 two men’s identities, the SPCA and AWSS inspectors, along with officers of the City of Cape Town’s Animal Control Unit, visited their property in Wallacedene, Kraaifontein last Thursday (26 October) to conduct a full investigation and afford the suspects an opportunity to respond to the allegations.
“Shockingly, the owner of the dogs, a 46-year-old woman, admitted to instructing her husband and son to kill their family pets, alleging the dogs were ill,” the statement said. “Her son also confirmed his involvement in the [killings], and both provided sworn affidavits detailing their actions.
“The mother and son showed no remorse or regret for their heinous actions. They readily agreed to surrender their remaining dog found on the property during the investigation. The dog has been taken into the care of the SPCA.”
The following day, after animal cruelty charges were laid by the SPCA at Stellenbosch Police Station, the three suspects were arrested, detained and formally charged.
They appeared in court at the beginning of the week and are scheduled to be back in court on Wednesday 6 December.
Jaco Pieterse, chief inspector of the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, added: “Every act of cruelty towards an animal is a stain on our humanity. We all need to stand together if we ever hope to win the war against it. By working with AWSS we can ensure acts such as these are met with the full force of the law as a front-line deterrent to perpetrators. The SPCA remains committed to our mission of a kinder world for animals and we welcome the opportunity to guide the AWSS team.”
