Park animal deaths: investigation at 'advanced stage'

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Mossel Bay Municipality says its investigation into the conditions in which animals were kept at Harry Giddey Park is "in an advanced stage".

The municipality said this in response to questions the Mossel Bay Advertiser sent it earlier this week.

An internal municipal investigation was launched in November last year after the Garden Route SPCA Mossel Bay branch tabled a report to the municipality about the dire conditions in which the animals at the park were living.

Mossel Bay Advertiser reported on the matter extensively last year, after the SPCA conducted a full inspection of all the animals in the park in September last year following a complaint about the conditions of the tortoises there.

The Advertiser previously reported that the inspection found one dead tortoise and the decomposing remains of at least two other tortoises.

Some had ocular and nasal discharge, swollen eyelids, difficulty breathing and were emaciated; some were dehydrated.

It was found that the birds at the park were being fed on the floor. Old food had not been cleared away and was 10cm thick in some cages.

Harry Giddy Park.

GRSPCA area manager Cheri Cooke had said the SPCA found dead birds in nests and some carcasses between the cage bars and on the floor were decaying.

In-depth diagnostic tests on both the tortoises and birds were conducted and it was found that the tortoises were suffering a severe worm infestation, as well as the highly contagious mycoplasma/herpes infection.
In eight out of the nine aviaries at the park, the deadly and highly contagious psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) was found. There is no cure.

All 52 of the infected tortoises were thus euthanised as well as the infected birds.

The Advertiser also reported that the municipality's captivity permit to keep tortoises and three species of birds at Harry Giddey Park expired in 2022.

CapeNature, the responsible body for biodiversity conservation in the Western Cape, had last inspected the park in 2021.

On 18 November, the municipality held a special council meeting where a report by municipal manager Colin Puren was given on the SPCA's report. The report by the SPCA was accepted.

The municipality also said in the report that despite the SPCA's recommendation not to keep animals at the park in the future, it would continue to keep animals there.

The Advertiser sent the municipality questions regarding the investigation, including when it would be concluded, if animal cruelty charges would be brought against those found responsible, and when the municipality expects to house more animals at the park.

The municipality said: "A comprehensive internal investigation has been mandated by the municipality and the investigation is in an advanced stage due to the nature and extent thereof. The outcome will be dealt with in terms of the relevant applicable legislation and delegations of the municipality and a full report with regard to the future and animals to be housed in the park will be submitted to council for consideration."

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