Durban - The National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) is pursuing criminal charges against two 17-year-old boys for what it describes as one of the cruellest cases of dog fighting incidents investigated.
The NSPCA said its Special Investigations Unit (SIU) received a graphic video of dog fighting by a detective at the Aliwal North police station, in the Eastern Cape last week.
The NSPCA said it responded to the complaint immediately although the chained dog had died in order to remove the two Pitbulls from a life of dog fighting.
In the video, the council said the teenagers can be seen inciting their two large breed Pitbulls to attack a dog that they had chained in a nearby veld.
“The dog can be heard screaming in pain and terror as the Pitbulls repeatedly tear into its flesh. The teenagers are seen laughing and encouraging their blood-covered Pitbulls to continue attacking the chained dog, until eventually its bones could be heard being crushed and the dog passes away. Throughout the video, the dog could be seen repeatedly trying to escape the attack but failed because it was chained.”
The council said it was later discovered that the teenagers had stolen the dog from their neighbour, taken it to a veld and chained it.
“In a premeditated act of violence, cruelty and brutality the teenagers had chained the dog to facilitate it being tortured and killed in an illegal dog fight for their entertainment.”
En route to remove the two Pitbulls, inspectors drafted their application for a warrant.
The council said due to the violent nature of the offence and the urgency of the case, the chief magistrate had granted the NSPCA two warrants.
“On the 9th of July, the NSPCA, together with the detectives from Aliwal North SAPS, raided both properties of the teenagers in the Joe Gqabi area. Both the Pitbulls seen in the video were found chained and were removed by the NSPCA, along with another dog found on one of the properties.”
The council said it intends to lay criminal charges against both the boys and three other spectators.
“There are more than three victims in this case. The first is the chained dog, who would’ve spent the last moments of its life in pain and terror. The second and third victims are the two Pitbulls who were robbed of their right to live normal dog lives when they were forced into the life of dogfighting by the teenagers.”
The NSPCA said there could have been more animals harmed by these teens.
“Although the accused's' in this case are all under the age of 18, the NSPCA will relentlessly pursue justice for the dog which lost its life as well the two Pitbulls that were subjected to being used for illegal dog-fighting purposes.”