WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES: Outrage over donkey attacks
The SPCA is outraged after two donkeys were attacked with a panga in Mametlhake.
The attacks on donkeys in the townships have been met with outrage by the Pretoria SPCA.
Two donkeys were attacked with a panga in Mametlhake outside Ga-Rankuwa this week.
SPCA inspector Mishack Matlou said the man attacked the donkeys when he found them in his yard when he arrived home.
“He took out a panga and started to hack their legs. The two donkeys were seriously injured.”
Witnesses contacted the police and the SPCA.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Nonhlanhla Kgosana confirmed the incident.
“The man was arrested and will be charged with animal cruelty,” said Kgosana.
Matlou described the incident as barbaric and senseless.
“We are very much against animal cruelty. It is heartless that someone could do this to an innocent animal,” he said.
Matlou said the man accused the donkeys of witchcraft and said he failed to understand how they entered his yard because the gates were locked.
“We can’t allow anyone to inflict deliberate injuries to the animals. He should have led them out and closed his gate.”
Matlou said after the attack, the donkeys did not eat for two days.
“They could not walk, they could not eat or go to drink water,” he said.
Three days after the attack, Matlou went to check the condition of the donkeys.
“After seeing them going through pain and suffering, we had to take the difficult decision to put them down,” he said.
Matlou said legally, the SPCA had the right to enter your yard, take your pet and put it down if it was believed the animal was suffering unreasonably.
Matlou said in 2015 a man was arrested after he attack donkeys with a panga.
“Michael Tshiti Phalagadi (29) was sentenced to three months imprisonment with a suspension period of three years on condition that the accused was not convicted on an animal cruelty offence during the period of suspension.”
Matlou said another man was also recently arrested in Maubane for allegedly attacking two donkeys.
Matlou urged pastors to preach to the community about the importance of animals in their communities and said people must learn to love, care and feel sorry for animals.
Also read:
Sixteen “stolen” dogs found in the Hennopsriver valley
Man arrested for hacking donkeys
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