Cape Town - Four horses have been taken to the SPCA’s Horse Care Unit for veterinary examination and further care, after they were found in poor living conditions on a property in Grassy Park.
The Cape of Good Hope (CoGH) SPCA said their inspectors had to obtain a court order to gain access to the property after the owner denied them access to conduct an inspection.
Four saddle horses being kept in poor living conditions and subjected to cruel training methods were then confiscated.
“The SPCA received a complaint about horses being kept in poor living conditions on a property in Grassy Park. The complainant also complained about a strong ammonia smell lingering in the air, with flies all over because of the dirty living conditions. This prompted our inspectors to launch an investigation.
“Upon arrival at the Grassy Park property, our inspectors were denied access by the owner, who insisted that the inspectors return with a court order.
“This left our inspectors with no other option but to approach the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court for an order in terms of the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962, read together with Regulation 468, to gain access to the property to investigate.
“With court order in hand, our inspectorate returned to the Grassy Park property on Wednesday, January 18, accompanied by members of SAPS and the City of Cape Town’s Law Enforcement: Animal Control Unit. Little did our team know what they would find on the property,” the SPCA said.
The visit to the property “started off very suspiciously”, where a woman was in the front property, insisting that the team wait in front while she called the owner.
“Chief inspector Jaco Pieterse and inspector Jeffrey Mfini did not feel comfortable with this arrangement and followed the woman into the property.
“As the woman entered the back property, with the inspectors on her heels, she quickly tried to close the middle gate leading to the back of the property and informed the owner that the SPCA was there.
“The owner was not very happy with the SPCA being on his property, especially while they were busy training one of their saddle horses – using a cruel and archaic training method.
“The inspectors were horrified by their findings. A saddle horse stallion was found restrained. His head had been forced down onto his chest, and his neck was forced into a tight hyper-flexed arched bow and then tied into this unnatural position.
“Tight pieces of rope tied from his bridle, through his bit and onto a roller ensured that the poor animal could neither lift nor lower his head at all or move it either side to get the smallest respite from this muscle torture or mouth pain.
“The horse had been subjected to this suffering for an extended period of time,” the SPCA said.
Pieterse said: “He was drenched in sweat, veins and blood vessels swollen with exertion. The white foam that thickly covered his mouth and entire nose, as well as his wide eyes and tightly tensed facial muscles, spoke volumes as to his extreme state of distress.”
One of the handlers quickly attempted to untie the rope to stop our inspectors from getting photos and video footage of the cruel training method being applied.
On further investigation, the inspectors found three other saddle horses being kept at the back of the residential property in unsuitable stables.
According to the SPCA: “There was a strong ammonia smell lingering in the air. It was dark inside the so-called stables, with little to no ventilation. The horses only had access to dirty drinking water, and the living conditions were dirty and unhygienic.”
The horses were confiscated and owner arrested and is expected to make a court appearance for contravening the Animal Protections Act.
Cape Times