Festive fireworks and animal cruelty rife in town

The Randfontein and Westonaria SPCA revealed an alarming number of firework-related and animal cruelty incidents this past festive season.

According to RandWest SPCA manager René van Straten, like every other year, fireworks again had a brutal impact and effect on pets.

“We received about 20 calls with regards to distressed animals relating to fireworks,” she said.

She added not only do animals have great hearing but do they not understand what the sounds of exploding fireworks are. She explained, “To animals, these sounds are extremely deafening and the fact that they are unaware of what it means makes it all the more discomforting.

“Emotional trauma cannot be measured and that is what these animals are suffering from. The fear is so overwhelming that the animals begin to hyperventilate and shake uncontrollably. So much so that they look for a way to escape the sounds even if it means they hurt themselves. We had a case in Mohlakeng where the dog broke his top teeth while attempting to chew his way out to get away from the fireworks,” Van Straten said.

She further emphasised that fireworks do not only affect domestic pets but wild animals as well. She mentioned that after fireworks go off, they leave an aftermath of waste that could be ingested by animals.

“The only way to stop this suffering is to stop using fireworks. There are so many ways to celebrate the new year without being selfish and causing harm to the well-being of others,” she said.

Furthermore, the RandWest SPCA raised concerns about animal safety and had to open three animal cruelty cases within just 40 hours.

According to Van Straten, these incidents occurred between Saturday night (December 9) to Monday morning (December 11).

The first case was opened after she received a complaint regarding a dog that got hacked by a panga by her owner. She added that the injured dog was immediately removed along with another dog after inspecting the situation.

“The suspect was arrested, however, he was released for medical reasons.”

The SPCA claimed further that they had ensured the injured dog received medical attention while the other dog remained in their custody.

The second incident occurred on Sunday morning after the SPCA received a call about dogs being transported in an inhumane manner.

“After the SPCA employees arrived on scene it was established that 17 greyhounds used to hunt were being transported by a bakkie. There were clear signs of severe injuries including fractures, illnesses, and exhaustion.”

The SPCA gave special thanks to all people involved in the matter, thanking Linda Scrace from Friends of Rescued Animals (Fora), George Prinsloo from Rural Safety, Chief Inspector Jaco Pieterse from Cape of Good Hope SPCA and Dr Lottie Carr from Homestead Avenue Veterinary Hospital.

The last incident involved a call from a cat owner on Monday morning. According to Van Straten, the owner claimed that the cat was hit with a brick by their neighbour. Van Straten then assisted the owner by opening a case of animal cruelty.

The SPCA stated that their priority is giving voices to those who cannot speak. Thus, the SPCA is appealing to the public for donations to assist them in caring for injured animals and stopping violence against those who cannot ask for help.

The following contact details were made available for residents:

• Randfontein office can be reached on 011 412 3114
• Westonaria office can be reached on 078 911 0789