No arrests have been made in last week’s horrific SPCA case that left the Lower South Coast (LSC) SPCA and community reeling.

This was confirmed by the SAPS communication and liaison office for the Ugu District.

SAPS also verified that a cruelty to animals case was opened at Margate Police Station last Tuesday, the day after an SPCA vehicle was found burnt with three dogs inside in Nkampini, inland from Southbroom in KZN.

Jacques Peacock, the public relations officer of the National Council of SPCAs, says the investigation is at an early stage and the circumstances remain unclear.

“We trust SAPS to conduct their investigation diligently and take to task those responsible. Further, as a matter of protocol, due to SPCA property being damaged and lost (including the animals, which are considered property in South African law), an internal investigation is also being conducted,” he says.

Last week, the National Council of SPCAs said three dogs inside a Ford Bantam bakkie belonging to the LSC SPCA were burnt to death when the vehicle was set alight.

The vehicle was found at the bottom of a steep grassy embankment in Nkampini in Gcilima.

Peacock says the LSC SPCA received a notification from their vehicle tracking company just after 18:40 on May 19, indicating that the vehicle’s tracker had sent off an emergency signal.

“The tracking company, SPCA personnel and SAPS Search and Rescue Unit initiated a search for the driver and vehicle. At that stage, it was unknown whether the vehicle was transporting animals or not,” he says.

The vehicle was found with three dogs in the back. They had been burnt alive.

The amount of suffering these animals must have endured is unimaginable. The driver was found unharmed but confused early on May 20, says Peacock.

He says it is ‘barbaric’ that anyone would commit such a heinous act against the SPCA, especially considering it is a non-profit organisation with extremely limited resources.