Goat slaughtered by sangoma in Little Falls after SPCA issues warning
“They found the goat tied up. The owner was told to let the goat walk free in the yard...’
The violation of any animal rights can swiftly see inspectors from the SPCA knocking at your door and consequently lead to charges being laid if the animal owner is found to be mistreating the animal.
The Roodepoort/ Krugersdorp SCPA inspectors did just that when they were tipped off to warn a person believed to be a sangoma who had tied a goat to a tree on his property.
“They found the goat tied up. The owner was told to let the goat walk free in the yard, which he did’.
“The following day, the inspector did a follow-up. The sangoma was happy to show him the goat’s carcass,” the SPCA post read.
The incident happened at a property in the Little Falls area on 4 October, according to Mandy Cattanach, the SPCA manager and senior inspector.
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As rescuers of ill-treated animals, Mandy was asked if criminal charges were going to be laid against the sangoma. She responded, “If there was evidence that the goat had suffered while being slaughtered, we would open a case of cruelty, but we only found the carcass, already skinned.”
“Any animal which is to be slaughtered must be slaughtered humanely,” she clarified, adding that, “We often receive calls for assistance when there is a traditional slaughtering taking place especially for large cattle. We are requested to captive bolt the animals before they are slaughtered, to prevent them from suffering and also to ensure the safety of the family and friends. Cattle can cause injuries and damage if they are not controlled or slaughtered correctly”.
After a wave of comments criticising the SPCA appeared on their Facebook page, Mandy stuck to the principles of the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962, which states that ‘no animals may suffer at any time’.
She also referred to part of the SPCA inspectors’ duties, which include regularly monitoring abattoirs, Qurbani and other traditional slaughterings. “The SPCA does not want to interfere with people’s cultural beliefs and traditions. The SPCA is opposed to any animal suffering and we will enforce the Animals Protection Act to ensure innocent animals do not suffer at the hands of humans.”“Before any animal can be slaughtered in a person’s backyard, a permit has to be obtained from the municipality,” she concluded.
She concluded by stating that they would continue to be the voice of the voiceless, despite the daily threats they face when attending to scenes.
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