The National Council of SPCAs is expected to lay charges against a KwaZulu-Natal man after one of his dogs died and four others were found in a horrific condition in Bethlehem and Newcastle, respectively.
NSPCA senior inspector Nazareth Appalsamy said a report was received about two dogs apparently abandoned in a factory in Bethlehem in the eastern Free State.
"What Bethlehem SPCA found at the time of their inspection was a clear case of animal cruelty and suffering, and a warrant was immediately obtained to remove the animals," the SPCA said in a statement.
One of the dogs was found trapped inside the building. The animal was weak and so emancipated that it could barely lift his life head as teams worked to rescue him.
"There was not food or water, and the room was covered in a build-up of old faeces and urine. In the days that he was locked alone in that room, starving and growing weaker, this dog would have experienced the worst kind of betrayal from the human race," the association said.
The second dog was found inside a locked vehicle and had already died by the time teams arrived.
"With temperatures reaching over 35°C, not only would this dog have suffocated in the car, he would have been cooked alive and died a slow and painful death. Viewing the carcass and evidence at the scene was hair-raising as it painted a clear picture of how severely the dog suffered and died," the NSPCA said.
The NSPCA's Special Investigations Unit was tasked with further investigating the case, and the owner was traced to a home in Newcastle.
"Another warrant was obtained by the Council, and together with members from the SAPS, an inspection was undertaken at the owner's property.
Three Dogo Argentino breed dogs were found at his home. Two of the dogs were emaciated, and all three were permanently confined to small cages," the Council said.
The NSPCA alleged that the owner could not open the cages and would throw food through a gap in the fence, leaving the canines to eat off the floor, which also had build-up of the dogs' faeces.
"In addition to the dogs being emaciated, one of the dogs was also suffering from severe and untreated fly-strike. All three dogs were removed by the NSPCA. Despite overwhelming evidence of blatant animal cruelty, the owner still attempted to deny any responsibility for the suffering of his animals," the Council said.
Appalsamy said each of these animals was helpless.
"No animal deserves to suffer like this. There are two relief points in this case - first is that we were able to rescue four of the five dogs before they met the same fate as the dog locked in the car. Second, is that our team is dedicated beyond measure to fight on behalf of these dogs and ensure that their owner pays for what he did to them when we take him to court," Appalsamy said.
IOL