Animal welfare organisations are asking owners of pets to take care of their furry friends this festive season.
This after Mitchells Plain Animal Welfare (MPAW) members found a Jack Russell with a cancerous growth on her stomach which already became infected at a house in Eastridge.
Vanessa Martin, the founder of MPAW, says they were forced to euthanise the dog.
She is now encouraging owners to find help for their sick animals and not to neglect them.
“It’s a reality when people are cleaning up for Christmas like in their backyards, they decide the dog is old,” she says.
“We find cases where dogs are dumped along Swartklip Road or Baden Powell Drive.
“In the case of the dog with cancer, we would have done everything in our power to save her but she could not be helped due to how far the illness and infection had spread.
“We are asking people to take their animals to the nearest vets or animal centres for assistance if they can no longer keep them.”
People can contact her via Facebook page Mitchells Plain Animal Welfare.