An alarming scene unfolded on Highlands Drive, Mitchells Plain when SPCA Inspector Rowan Davids encountered a carthorse in severe distress.
The stallion, significantly underweight and burdened with an excessively heavy load, caught Inspector Davids’ immediate attention.
Immediate Intervention
Inspector Davids, witnessing the pony’s struggle, intervened by instructing the cart drivers to halt. Upon closer inspection, he found the pony to be underweight, its hooves in a shocking condition, and its load far exceeding what is humane or legal.
SPCA and Law Enforcement Collaboration
Quick to act, Inspector Davids called for backup, prompting a swift response from the SPCA Horse Care Unit and the Animal Control Unit of Law Enforcement. Together, they seized the pony, ensuring its transfer to the safety and care of the Cape of Good Hope SPCA Horse Care Unit.
Legal and Welfare Standards Violations
The incident contravened Section 2(1)(a) of the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962, which prohibits overloading animals. Such offences, upon conviction, could lead to fines up to R40,000 or 12 months imprisonment, with a criminal record.
Furthermore, compliance with the South African National Standards regarding the weight loads for working equines was blatantly disregarded, as the pony was forced to pull more than triple its own body weight. These SANS codes are industry standards that provide for the minimum compliance to ensure the welfare and well-being of working equines.
Ongoing Concerns and SPCA Actions
The pony, which weighed only 240 kilograms, was found pulling a load of 980 kilograms (without the weight of the three occupants), highlighting severe animal cruelty. The Cape of Good Hope SPCA is in the process of laying criminal charges against the cart’s owner and the occupants. The owner operates a business renting out equines for labour, thus exploiting these animals under cruel conditions.
SPCA’s Stand and Future Actions
Chief Inspector Jaco Pieterse emphasised, “While the SPCA does not oppose the use of working animals when their welfare needs are met, we stand firmly against their exploitation. We took decisive action in this case and will continue to enforce animal welfare laws stringently. No animal should be subjected to cruelty for financial gain or otherwise.”
The SPCA is advocating for stricter enforcement of existing laws and standards by other enforcement organisations to protect working animals from such severe mistreatment.
