'Naughty' dog dragged behind car
2009-01-28 08:08
Kokstad - The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) regards an incident in which a teacher from Mount Ayliff allegedly dragged his dog behind his car for 1.5km as the worst act of animal cruelty so far in the area.
That's why they have proceeded to lay charges and asked for the maximum penalty (a fine of R60 000 or two years in prison) for the teacher, despite efforts from the police to prevent them from doing so.
The teacher apparently took revenge after the dog had bitten his five-year-old son on the nose and cheek.
The dog was so badly injured that it had to be put down by a veterinarian.
Almost all the skin had been ripped off its right side, its right eye was cut open and part of its tongue had been ripped loose.
Witnesses informed the Kokstad SPCA about the incident on Saturday. They had also recorded the vehicle's registration number.
The SPCA went to the scene immediately, said Inspector Douglas Wolhuter.
Dog lying in bushes
"We searched for about 40 minutes before we saw the badly injured animal lying in the bushes next to the road."
After a veterinarian had put down the dog, Wolhuter went to the Kokstad police station and laid seven charges of animal cruelty.
The teacher later arrived at the police station, whereupon "the police asked us not to lay a charge against him. They said the teacher had just wanted to punish the naughty dog".
On Tuesday Kokstad station commander, Superintendent Zibuse Gwala, and the regional police spokesperson, Inspector Mlungisi Matidane, did not comment on the allegations that police officers had not wanted to charge the teacher.