Why dealing with animal cruelty should start at school
A Grassy Park pensioner was recently handed a lifetime ban on owning animals, after being found guilty on animal cruelty-related charges. The dog named Jack had known nothing but suffering. He had lived his life on a chain.
Image: Good Hope SPCA
IT IS SO sad to read about animals being cruelly treated. As Gandhi said ‘you judge a country and its people on how it treats its animals’.
We can’t hold our head up in South Africa. We read on a monthly basis about dreadful cruelties to man’s best friend and of course other animals such as cart horses etc. The article in Friday’s paper of Jack a black cross breed who has known nothing but suffering his whole life, is a case in point.
He has lived his life on a chain tethered to misery at a Grassy Park home. I never understand the point of having a dog chained all day. It can’t act as a watch dog as it can’t get loose. But the sad thing is over the years this poor dog has been on a tight chain biting into his neck with a festering wound ( how painful), had anaemia, was underweight and infested with parasites.
Why did no one ever blow the whistle to the authorities? Visitors must have come to the home, neighbours must have seen what was going on? Communities need to be more involved when they see cruelty. They can ring authorities without giving their name if they are worried about retribution. We need to have more classes at schools that teach children how to look after their animals. I’ve always said in this world we live in today we just need to have one commandment we all abide by.
“Do unto others as you would have done unto you”. Life would be so much better.
Barbie Sandler| Constantia