Inspector Jeffrey Mfini approached the Simon’s Town Magistrates Court on Monday 7 February 2022 to obtain an order to enter a property in Fish Hoek. The animals at the property in question were trapped in a hoarding situation and kept in filthy, parasitic conditions with no fresh water available. Chief Inspector Jaco Pieterse and the City of Cape Town Law Enforcement Animal Control Unit accompanied Inspector Mfini with an independent, private veterinarian who specialises in exotic birds.
The Inspectors contacted the owner to open the gate, whom they ignored and hastily attempted to tend to the animals before the inspectors could enter. Inspectors and the Law Enforcement Officers had to lift the gate to gain access to the property.
The veterinarian was shocked by the living conditions of the Macaw and the other animals found on the property. A strong putrid smell was hanging in the area and the animals were infested with fleas. The food was rotten and dumped on the floor for the animals to eat with no access to freshwater. A joint decision was made in the best interest of the animals to have them confiscated in terms of section 8 of the Animals Protection Act read together with Regulation 468.
The animals are now safely in the care of the SPCA and the Macaw is receiving emergency treatment due to its poor condition.
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Repeat Offence
The Cape of Good Hope of SPCA had existing animal cruelty charges levied against the owner of the property, Mr Johannes Schreuder, from early 2020 which is currently being heard before the Wynberg Magistrates court. His animals were also confiscated in December 2019 when he resided in Bergvliet. The animals confiscated in Fish Hoek were found in the same dirty and parasitic conditions. A further case of animal cruelty will be opened against the owner at the Fish Hoek SAPS in terms of the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962 and the Animal Keeping By-Law.
Pending application for an Interdict
Mr Schreuder is also in receipt of a letter from the Cape of Good Hope SPCAs legal representative warning him not to bring any animal into his care pending the outcome of the two cases, failing which the Cape of Good Hope will approach the Cape Town High Court with an urgent application for an interdict to prevent him from doing so.
