Staff at a rescue clinic say this is one of the worst cases of animal cruelty and negligence they have seen in years.
These three dogs were saved at the weekend in Delft by staff of the Animal Welfare Society Philippi.
Vets say the dogs, two females and one male, are suffering from Mange, which caused them to lose their coats, leaving their exposed skin cracked and raw, and their paws grotesquely swollen.
The injuries were made worse by the animals lying in the dirty sand and heat.
A rescue fund has since been opened for the dogs.
Mange is a skin disease caused by tiny mites, which burrows under the dog’s skin, and the subsequent scratching causes the dog’s hair to fall out.
Jaque Le Roux, a nurse at the Animal Welfare Society Philippi, says members of the community alerted them.
“We were dropping off a colleague in Delft on Sunday when a community member alerted him about three sick dogs at a residence,” he explains.
“We were horrified to find the dogs lying in the sand, no food and no shelter.
“We are currently using coconut oil to repair the damaged skin.
“We immediately educated their owner because Mange is highly contagious.
“They had never been spoken to, never been loved and were too scared to wag their tails.
“This is one of the worst cases (of animal abuse) I have seen.”
He adds: “People need to regularly take their dog for a vet check-up, we offer services for disadvantaged communities.”’
You can help the sick dogs by donating cash to their fund at: Animal Welfare Society SA, Standard Bank, Kromboom branch, account no: 072863196.
Reference: Delft Rescue.