Manenberg has turned into a pet cemetery after TWELVE cats were found mutilated and killed in just 10 days.
The Animal Welfare Society of SA says this is one of the largest animal killing sprees ever witnessed in Cape Town.
Pet lovers across Manenberg have now embarked on early morning patrols as they hunt for the cat serial killer(s) who have left pet owners living in fear for their cats.
It is believed the mutilations may be related to gang initiations.
This comes as another cat was found disembowelled in Dwyka Street on Sunday, and three more on Friday morning, their stomachs sliced open and their intestines ripped out.
Gatvol residents believe the killings are happening during the early hours of the morning.
AWS spokesperson Jacques le Roux says it’s the work of “deranged minds”.
The animals are first bashed over the head and then their legs are broken and they are gutted.
“The images of the dead cats that accompanied this morning’s reports are too ghastly for words.
“They paint a picture of a seriously deranged individual or group of individuals with an evil blood-lust.
“There are suspicions that these horrific incidents may be gang-related.”
The first cat was found by resident Abdul-Karriem Adams, 50, outside his home in Dwyka Street on Thursday, 15 July.
Adams raised the alarm and several days later, people discovered another mutilated cat near Silverstream Primary School.
Manenberg Police were called again to Dwyka Street on Friday morning after another slaughtered cat was found.
“It was so evil, the cat’s whole skeleton was ripped from its body and it looked almost like a ritual killing,” says Adams.
“It was found by an elderly man who called me and we asked the police what we could do.
“They explained that the owner of the cat needed to register a case but the problem is that we don’t know who the cat belongs to.”
While in Dwyka Street, residents found out that another two cats were found in Venster Street, with one’s heart ripped out.
And Sunday yet another cat was found dead in Dwyka Street.
Adams says concerned residents started midnight patrols in the hopes of catching the killer(s).
“We need this to stop now and on Friday we did a patrol and found no dead cats the next day.
“We are in talks with the police to keep our patrols going and are calling on residents with information to speak up,” he says.
Anyone with information is asked to call AWS on 021 692 2626 or 082 601 1761.