The dirty canal where the dog was dumped and left for dead.
Image: Cape of Good Hope SPCA
The Cape of Good Hope SPCA is encouraging the public to come forward with any information after a deliberate act of cruelty left a mother dog dead in a canal in Brown’s Farm, Philippi.
The organisation said a female dog, recovered barely alive from a canal, had died because of deliberate cruelty. A length of wire was twisted in two places around the dog’s neck, after which she was carried to the canal and thrown in, according to the organisation.
Inspector Lwazi Ntungele responded to the scene and found the dog still breathing. She was too weak to stand, due to days of sustained suffering, and could not do more than register the presence of the inspector, who waded in to reach her.
The organisation named the dog Grace.
Image: Cape of Good Hope SPCA
"She tried to come to me. She knew I was there to help, but she was too weak,” Ntungele said.
A veterinarian subsequently determined that euthanasia was the only humane course of action. Grace, as she was named, was beyond help and was relieved of her suffering. The person responsible for inflicting it remains unidentified.
Grace was a Pitbull-type dog, adult in age, with a brown and white coat. She was medium to large in build, as is typical of the breed type, and her physical condition at the time of recovery, while severely compromised, was consistent with a dog that had been cared for, or at a minimum kept, in a domestic setting.
“Her teats were elongated, the clearest possible indication that she had recently been nursing a litter of puppies. Anyone who recognises this description — a brown and white Pitbull-type female, adult, recently lactating, from the Brown's Farm area or surrounds, is urged to contact the SPCA immediately. She may have been known in the community by a different name. She may have been visible in a yard, on a property, or as part of a breeding arrangement. Any point of recognition is a potential lead,” the SPCA’s Belinda Abraham said.
A piece of wire was wrapped around the dog's neck.
Image: Cape of Good Hope SPCA
The positioning of the wire and the manner in which it was secured around Grace's neck were consistent with deliberate application. Inspectors assess that the act required time, proximity, and intent.
Inspector Ntungele has served in animal welfare enforcement through cases that would test the resolve of the most seasoned professional; however, he stated that this was the worst he had encountered.
The image of Grace attempting to move toward him, recognising help, unable to reach it, remained with him long after he left the scene.
"I couldn't sleep that night."
The Cape of Good Hope SPCA has opened an animal cruelty case.
Anyone with information on the incident is urged to contact the Cape of Good Hope SPCA Inspectorate directly at 021 700 4158/9, email: inspectorate@spca-ct.co.za or send a direct message via the organisation’s social media channels.
Cape Times