NATIONAL NEWS - A media statement was released on Thursday evening after the National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) finally heard the conviction of part-time pastor James Bennie and his nephew. The pair, from Eden Park in Ekurhuleni, were involved in dogfighting and were caught by the Alberton SPCA in August 2016 after receiving a tip-off from a member of the public.
When NSPCA inspector Nadia Hansa and senior inspector Kingstone Siziba arrived at the scene in 2016, they found three pitbull terriers and five crossbred dogs who were in severe distress, the statement read.
One of the pitbulls named Biscuit had collapsed, was unable to walk and had deep, infected bite wounds. Two other pit bulls had similar wounds and scars from past dog fights, Hansa and Siziba said.
The statement said the dogs had been left to starve on short chains, without food or water. The crossbred dogs were also emaciated and had several untreated wounds.
“The dual nature of this cruelty makes it all the more horrific. The dogs had clearly been used for organised dogfighting, but instead of even a basic level of care after the fights, they had been left chained up outside the back door to die slowly of their infected wounds and callous neglect,” Hansa said.
The eight dogs were promptly removed from the property and taken to the SPCA for treatment.
“Three pitbulls – Biscuit, Bazooka and Boomer, and two of the crossbreed dogs – were in such a state of infection, starvation and collapse that they sadly had to be euthanased,” the statement continued.
