The Cape of Good Hope SPCA’s execution of a warrant in Pelican Park uncovered an appalling case of animal cruelty that has left inspectors heartbroken. Led by Chief Inspector Jaco Pieterse and Inspector Jeffrey Mfini, and supported by City of Cape Town’s Law Enforcement Animal Control Unit, the operation at a scrapyard-like property revealed farm animals trapped in inhumane conditions and confirmed the tragic death of a chained dog, whose charred remains were found in an open field—still shackled to the chain that had defined and ended his life.
A Shocking Discovery
The SPCA team entered the property with a warrant issued under the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962, following the issuing of two warnings to the owner (the minimum requirement to obtain a warrant) about the poor welfare of confined farm animals and a chained dog. The scene was a nightmare. A maze of debris and ramshackle enclosures forced rescuers to crawl through tight spaces to reach animals suffering in extreme heat without access to water.
Watch Our Team At Work
Among the animals was a sheep, emaciated and tied within a pen. She was carried to safety and fortunately showed immediate relief when she was placed in a vehicle filled with fresh oat hay. Chickens and ducks were removed from similar circumstances.
But the most devastating discovery awaited the inspectors at the back of the property. A dog, previously seen chained in the same spot during prior visits, was missing. Disturbingly, the team found evidence of a fire in the area where the dog had been confined. Suspicion turned to certainty when the owner, who initially said the dog had been moved, finally led them to an open field. There, the dog’s charred remains were found, wrapped in a blanket and still chained—his life and death marked by the same unforgiving restraint.
“We Were Too Late”
Chief Inspector Pieterse described the scene with anguish “Today, my heart shattered into a million pieces. This boy had no chance to run, no chance to survive. He suffered a horrific death that could have been prevented if his owner had only listened to us. The harsh reality is, we were too late.”
Animal rescue is always hard, but it’s generally followed by the satisfaction of seeing a once-chained or confined animal freely exploring and receiving all the love and care they deserve. For this dog, that moment of freedom will never come. For our team, the joy of witnessing this dog’s rehabilitation will never come. In its place is the pain of knowing that he died alone, in terror, unable to escape the flames and this while we were already fighting for a better life for him.
Inspector Jeffrey Mfini is equally devastated “I knew this dog. I had seen him on my visits, chained to the same spot, unable to move freely, yet still wagging his tail when we approached. We tried so many times to make his life better, to give him a chance at something more than that chain. To find him like this—burned, discarded, as though his life meant nothing—cuts deeper than words can express. He deserved so much more, and knowing we were too late will stay with me forever. This is why we fight, why we never stop pushing for justice. Because no animal should suffer like he did.”
The property owner was arrested for obstruction and remains in custody. He will make his first court appearance on Monday.
A Call For Action
While the surviving animals are now safe and in the care of the SPCA, our pursuit of justice for the dog who lost his life so horrifically is only just beginning.
If you feel as passionately as we do about dogs on chains, please donate towards this important work now or sign up to join Team SPCA in the upcoming Cape Town Cycle Tour where you’ll ride to give dogs like this their freedom back – because chains belong on bikes not dogs.
