A Mitchells Plain man says his dream to help sick hondjies has been shattered after members of the SPCA and Law Enforcement confiscated his animals.
Moegamat Reza Petersen, 23, said he recently moved out of his parents’ house and bought land at Monwabisi Park Farm to live out his childhood ambitions.
According to him, the SPCA and Law Enforcement rocked up at his place on May 5 and removed his 11 dogs - including pit bulls and mix breed hondjies.
“All I remember is them showing up at my house with a picture of a suspect they were looking for, but instead the officers took my 11 dogs, made me dig up the remains of my dead dog and cut open my couches and broke my TV while searching the place.”
Petersen said he is questioning whether the damages and his arrest was due to the 200 grams of dagga officers found, or whether it had something to do with his dogs.
“The weed is for my personal use, then there was also tablets, it’s dog medication and deworming medicine they found, but that’s it.
“I tried to explain that I am teaching myself to take care of the animals by reading books and helping people who don’t have money to go to the SPCA.
“They lived in a safe space, each dog had his or her own kennel and they were tied according to regulations. I want to change people’s idea of pit bulls, they can be good dogs and they can coexist with other breeds of dogs.
“They wouldn’t listen, they even arrested me with a leash, I was just so humiliated.”
However, responding to a Daily Voice query, SPCA chief inspector Jaco Pieterse said Petersen was arrested on charges of animal cruelty and illegal dog fighting.
“Dogs were found on short static chains. Some of the dogs had severe scarring from dog fighting,” he explained.
“A dog fighting pit was also found on the property – all evidence of dog fighting.
“The dogs were certainly not cared for properly and were being kept in conditions contravening the Animals Protection Act – hence the action that was taken.”
Pieterse said that DNA samples were taken from the blood on the sides of the pit and sent to a laboratory for further testing: “We await the outcome of the results.”
City of Cape Town spokesperson Vanessa Scholtz said Law Enforcement officers were on scene when the dogs were removed after complaints of alleged dog fighting.
Scholtz said officers deny breaking any possessions.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk confirmed that Petersen opened a case of malicious damage to property, currently under investigation.
tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za