The Cape of Good Hope SPCA say they have their hands full with a bergie who uses stolen animals as props to beg for money from well-meaning animal lovers.
Chief Inspector Jaco Pieterse said that the latest incident took place on Tuesday when inspectors Carina Bodenstein, Werner Taljaard and Siviwe Noko responded after receiving reports late afternoon of a man begging with a Jack Russel crossbreed puppy at the M5 racecourse off-ramp between Kenwyn and Kenilworth.
“We’ve been told that this man steals animals to beg.
“He ran when he saw our Inspectors; he knows what he’s doing is illegal,” explains Pieterse.
“We followed him into Kenwyn and managed to arrest him for obstruction before taking him to Lansdowne SAPS, where charges of obstruction in terms of the Animals Protection Act and contraventions of the Animal Keeping By Law were laid against him.”
He adds: “The SPCA receives weekly complaints about him.
“We caught him in the act thrice already and in these instances, he was aggressive and tried to attack our Inspectors.
“We have been informed that he shouts and swears at the motorists or bangs on their windows.
“The puppy was dehydrated and traumatised and has been taken into safekeeping, it is now in the care of the SPCA,” says Pieterse.
Pieterse urges the public to stop supporting beggars who use animals to beg for money because in most cases it involves stolen animals who are not cared for.
“When the public gives money to these beggars then it fuels the trade and they keep on coming back with animals as they know caring people will donate, thinking the money will be used for the animals which is not the case.”
You can report similar incidents to Law Enforcement on 021 480 7700 or to the SPCA on 021 700 4158/9.