SPCA rescues starving animals
"The pigs were feeding on the carcasses, while the ones lying on the ground were being eaten by dogs. It was chilling.”
Pigs feeding on lamb carcasses, emaciated cattle and barely enough food for a mother to feed her lambs were the horrors Newcastle SPCA officials were subjected to at a recent cruelty case call-out.
The conditions at a farm in Volksrust were devastating to SPCA staff, who were horrified by the level of cruelty against cattle.
Inspector Elize van Rooyen explained that, upon arrival, it was noted the cattle were all extremely emaciated.
“We found that all the cattle were in a bad state and there was barely enough food to accommodate most of them,” said Ms van Rooyen.
On the first visit, the SPCA served the farmer with a warning and confiscated two newly-born lambs whose mother could not produce enough milk to feed them.
“The mother did not have enough feed, so she could not produce milk for the lambs. We also noticed that the carcasses of other lambs were strewn across the farmyard, with some thrown into the pig-pen.
“The pigs were feeding on the carcasses, while the ones lying on the ground were being eaten by dogs. It was chilling.” The farmer was served with a final warning, continued Ms van Rooyen, which stated that all his cattle would be confiscated if the situation was not rectified.
“With 92 cattle on the farm and only three bales of hay, the situation was shocking.” However, shortly after the warning was served, Ms van Rooyen was contacted by the farmer.
“He phoned the SPCA to say that trucks were offloading more bales of hay and he had already secured feed for the ewe. He confirmed that all the lamb carcasses had been removed as well.
It’s good that he is working with the SPCA now.” The confiscated lambs were severely malnourished and starving, and Ms van Rooyen said the trip back to
Newcastle broke her heart.
“One lamb didn’t make it, but the other two survived and they were bleating piteously with hunger. At the time, they were only a day old.” Little ‘Skapie’, as he is affectionately known around the SPCA, is now on his way to a full recovery, along with his sibling.
He follows Ms van Rooyen around and after a feed, nestles into her shoulder before falling asleep. “He’s such a delight to have around,” laughed Ms van Rooyen. “We’ve really been spoiling him, and he adores the attention!” Ms van Rooyen concluded that the lambs would be put up for adoption soon.
