Dog allegedly abused, stuffed into plastic bag

MBOMBELA – A man who allegedly abused a nine-year-old Dalmatian before stuffing it into a plastic bag due for the municipal dumping area, appeared in the Nelspruit Regional Court on Friday.

Leonard Oliphant from Rosehaugh faces a charge of animal cruelty, which was laid after the incident on January 5 last year. On that day, inspectors of White River SPCA were summoned to Oliphant’s home. According to information in the case docket, they arrived to find a garbage bag in the accused’s vehicle.

In it was a female Dalmatian. The animal was breathing and conscious, but in a dire state. Its rear left leg was swollen. The dog was infected with ticks and fleas and “multiple other untreated medical conditions,” according to a sworn statement forming part of the docket.

The animal was taken to a veterinarian in White River. The veterinary report states that the Dalmatian had been in hypo-dynamic shock upon its arrival. The animal was severely dehydrated. Maggots had infested its anus and it had a large tumour on its torso.
According to the report, the dog was seriously injured and had no real chance of recovery. No further tests were performed, and the suffering animal was euthanised.

The SPCA acted as the complainant in a criminal case against the accused. He was previously released on bail of R1 500 and had not yet pleaded. On Friday the case was postponed for the fixing of a trial date, which was not yet confirmed at the time of going to press.