25/01/2013 – 17:53pm

Dear Reader,

I would like to bring to your attention the most despicable act of animal cruelty that I have ever witnessed.

Today (25.01.2013) at 15:52pm, I went to my local Steers (cnr North Rand and Trichardt Rd, opposite Flora Farm, Boksburg) to order a burger for dinner. After placing my order, I went and waited outside for it and was alerted to a commotion nearby.

Several people were gathered around a white Peugeot vehicle. I walked towards the crowd and asked one of the bystanders what the upheaval was all about and a lady told me that the owner of the vehicle had left a dog in the car for the whole day and that the dog has just died.

Apparently, the owner of the white Peugeot visited Jimmy Killer Prawns, a nearby restaurant in the shopping complex, at 11am and bought beers which he could not pay for.  He proceeded to leave his car keys with somebody that works at the restaurant and took off, leaving the dog stranded in the car that was locked with no open window or water whatsoever.

By this time the police had arrived at the scene and were tremendously upset that they had been called out for a “dog that was left in the vehicle” and were standing arguing with the bystanders.

I must say I was utterly shocked to witness the behaviour of the SAP who were simply not the least bit interested in taking a look at the car.

Out of pure concern, I walked towards the vehicle to see for myself and sure as hell, the poor dog was lying dead in the passenger foot well in the front of the car.

I immediately called the SPCA emergency number and a lady by the name of Chantal answered the phone.

I told her what had happened and she advised me that their Inspector was already on the way since they had been contacted by a member of public already.

I brought to her attention that the dog had died and she was taken aback to hear this as the person who called seemed to think that the animal was still alive, and thought the animal was only left in the car for a short period of time.  This was not the case.

The SPCA Inspector arrived at the scene and walked over to the SAP vehicle that was already idling ready to leave and spoke with the police seated in their vehicle.

I approached the Inspector and introduced myself as one of the members of public that called for assistance and requested that he check on the animal, to which he responded the car was locked. I told him that the doors were in fact open, he then greeted the police and walked over to the car where he opened the door and certified the animal dead.

I also queried whether the owner of the vehicle would be charged with animal cruelty and his reply was “definitely”.

The inspector took pictures and stated that with the photo evidence, they could show the court beyond any reasonable doubt that this is a case of animal cruelty.  Furthermore, numerous empty beer bottles and beer bottle caps were strewn inside the same vehicle in which the dog was left to die a cruel and malicious death, on one of the hottest Summer days so far in Gauteng this year (a sweltering 35 degrees).

The owner of the dog should be named and shamed for his heinous act of animal cruelty.  He should under no circumstances be allowed to ever own an animal in his life again.  And although charging this person with animal cruelty will not bring the animal back, it will set precedence for other offenders since animals are not given the same rights that human beings are given.

I would like to thank you for taking the time to read my letter.  I felt that I had to at least try and do something as indifference and looking the other way will not solve the animal cruelty in our country.