A petition has been initiated by a Pretoria resident calling for justice for Raygun, a baboon who was assaulted and allegedly set alight by high school learners on Friday.

Raygun recently captured the attention and imagination of the Pretoria community, who regularly posted updates about his journey on various social media platforms, for over a week.

Under the guiding eye of the wildlife organisation Owl Rescue Centre, he made it safely through the city and was believed to be well on his way to his new habitat.

However, he made a wrong turn 40km further on his adventure and landed up on the roof of a secondary school just outside of Delmas.

In a Facebook post shared on Saturday afternoon, Owl Rescue Centre gave a harrowing account of Raygun’s death.

“The learners at the school decided it was a fun idea to brutally stone and kick him.

They tied him up with wire, placed car tyres around his body and set him alight. He burned to death.”

According to the post, rescuers went out early this Saturday morning to see if they could retrieve his body but their presence attracted “a lot of unwanted attention” which forced them to leave.

They eventually managed to collect Raygun’s remains and buried him under a Marula tree.

“We failed him terribly. We are deeply saddened by the way Raygun was ripped from this world.

His death serves as a stern reminder to us of the work we still have left to do to protect wild animals and what a long way the youth needs to come to learn respect and appreciation for other living beings.”

Meanwhile, Pretoria resident Monique Harmse initiated a petition in pursuit of justice for the killing of Raygun and to create awareness of animal cruelty.

It quickly gained momentum, with over 350 signatures gathered from residents by Saturday afternoon, demanding justice be dealt to the perpetrators.

Harmse told Rekord she hopes the petition will reach the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and prompt an investigation by law enforcement.

The petition asks relevant authorities to enforce stricter laws against animal cruelty, prevent future incidents, and implement educational programs in schools about coexisting with wildlife and respecting animals.

“Raygun was a wandering soul, simply searching for a new home. His death was brutal and inhumane,” she said.

Tragically, he found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time and fell victim to a senseless act of cruelty,” said Harmse.

She stated that the baboon populations are suffering due to habitat loss, and deserve respect and humane treatment.

Harmse believes this incident highlights the urgent need for stronger protection of wildlife and stricter consequences for those who harm animals.

“Hopefully the petition will help force a full investigation into Raygun’s death.”

Petition: https://www.gopetition.com/petitions/raygun.html

Also read: Raygun beaten and burnt to death by school children

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