Animal abuse in Tongaat at towing and scrapyards is rife, says rescuer
Although based in Durban, Shabnam was passing through Tongaat on Monday when she heard the agonising howls of a bullmastiff coming from the yard of a towing company.
The animal rescue organisation Stray Paws has to contend with the worst of animal abuse and neglect.
Lockdown has been no exception, with more than four cases of abuse and neglect being handled on average each day, says owner Shabnam Baran.
Although based in Durban, Shabnam was passing through Tongaat on Monday when she heard the agonising howls of a bullmastiff coming from the yard of a towing company.
There she discovered that the dog was suffering from a “growth the size of a puppy” on her stomach. After talking to the owner, Shabnam took the animal to Ashburn veterinarian Dr Dianne Petersen, who also treated the dog’s many sores and an eye infection.
Shabnam started Stray Paws to help animals in distress, which she rescues and rehabilitates. In this case she wanted to hand the dog over to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), but they were unable to help as she had already removed the dog from the owner’s property.
The SPCA follows strict procedures before removing an animal.
Shabnam said on Tuesday she had rescued a cat which had been attacked by dogs.
The Sunday before she rescued a dog from a property where it had been tied to a tree since it was a puppy.
“It will take us a long time to rehabilitate these animals and find them loving, new homes.”
Shabnam, who is trying to raise awareness around the abuse and neglect of guard dogs at towing and scrap yards, said the issue was particularly prevalent in these industries.
“Tongaat is especially bad when it comes to animal neglect. We really need stricter laws to be put in place to prevent abuse from happening.”
Stray Paws rescues animals mainly from Durban to Newlands East and West, but Shabnam will travel to Verulam and Tongaat if it means saving an animal’s life.
Rescued animals are up for adoption once rehabilitated. Contact her at 067 698 9876.
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