FORMER Councillor Ronaldo Meyer is facing charges of animal cruelty.
The well-known businessman recently appeared in Bizana Magistrate’s Court and is expected to appear again next month.
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Last September, Kloof and Highway SPCA, together with the Lower South Coast SPCA, confiscated two pitbulls from Mr Meyer’s property in the Eastern Cape after he failed to comply with warnings to rectify the poor living conditions of the dogs.
He was later charged with animal cruelty under the Animal Protection Act No 71 of 1962.
The Lower South Coast SPCA had initially reacted to a tip-off they received from the community and, after an inspection, they discovered several pitbulls chained at various points on the perimeter of the property, living in harsh and inhumane conditions.
During many inspections to the property, conducted by staff of the SPCA, it was reported that some of dogs were unable to access water or food. In some cases, empty water bowls were found to be placed strategically out of reach of the chained animal.
Most of the dogs were found to be living without adequate shelter or shade and had hay as bedding. Visible scarring (and fresh bite wounds) on the bodies of the animals were reported.
The dogs were underweight and in need of veterinarian treatment. One of inspections by the SPCA found the boerboel-cross-staffie to be no longer on the premises as it had apparently been ‘given to a friend’.
Mr Meyer told the SPCA staff that he had received the dogs from different ‘friends’ since he could not afford to buy dogs. He was given the dogs when they were no longer needed for their intended purpose.
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