Sky’s death raises fresh questions over Roodeplaat K9 care

The death of Sky, a K9 police dog, has shed light on complaints about a veterinary hospital in Roodeplaat, which has a questionable history of alleged animal welfare failures, including a parvovirus outbreak in 2019 and 2020.

Portfolio committee on police chair Ian Cameron said Sky has now become a voice for many. Cameron said a case opened after Sky’s horrific injuries and subsequent death has now been correctly registered at Kameeldrift police station.

“We have confirmation a senior detective has been assigned to the case and he will follow the probe closely and provide further updates as progress is made,” said Cameron.

“The SA Veterinary Council has also opened a file concerning SA Police Service Veterinary Services under reference DM2621.

“The National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) is asking further questions and has involved independent veterinary expertise. We understand that a separate SA Police Service (Saps) internal investigation is also underway.”

Sky’s death sparks wider probe

Cameron said this matter was no longer only about what happened to Sky. “We have started examining the history of animal welfare failures at Roodeplaat, particularly the parvovirus outbreaks of 2019 and 2020. “An official Saps document from July 2019 confirms that Roodeplaat was experiencing shortages of veterinary medication and vaccines. Sworn criminal complaints and supporting records indicate that as many as 116 dogs and puppies reportedly died or had to be euthanised during separate parvovirus outbreaks in 2019 and 2020,” said Cameron. “The 2019 complaint states 76 puppies died or were euthanised as a result of parvovirus, based on the Roodeplaat Veterinary Hospital carcass register. “A further sworn complaint records 40 dogs died during the 2020 outbreak,” he added. Cameron said they have requested the complete official mortality, treatment and carcass records to verify the final figures.

Allegations of horrific conditions

“Information and images supplied to us describe horrific conditions. These include dogs allegedly being fed food lying on the floor among faeces.

It is further alleged that there was insufficient space to store the bodies of dead puppies before disposal.

“A separate inspection record confirms that freezers were full of animal carcasses because the disposal contract had lapsed.

“Sky’s death cannot be treated as an isolated accident. If earlier warnings were ignored and previous investigations were allowed to disappear, that failure must form part of the probe,” he added.

Cameron said details available suggest some of the same people and management structures associated with the earlier animal deaths remained responsible for animal care when Sky was injured. Some of those officials were allegedly promoted in the years that followed.

“We are verifying the complete personnel and promotion records and will ask Saps to confirm this formally.

“This raises a very serious question. If earlier complaints, criminal cases and warnings were properly investigated, how did many of the same alleged failures happen again?”

Cameron added this was not an attack on the dedicated police dog handlers, veterinarians and support staff.

“They are often the people who have tried to raise the alarm. We will continue asking questions until we know what happened,” he said.