The Animal Welfare Society of SA is looking for the culprits responsible for the gruesome death of three dogs who were doused with acid.
According to the organisation’s spokesperson Allan Perrins, the dogs’ owner Masixole Mofu, his girlfriend and their three honde were recently evicted from their home in Tambo Village near Manenberg and have been living in a nearby drain.
“A few days ago workers allegedly arrived to clean and disinfect the drain which meant that the family and their pets needed to move,” Allan said.
“It appears as though Mr Mofu resisted their efforts and attempts to dispose of his belongings.
“It is then alleged that the workers threw heavy-duty drain cleaner [either hydrochloric or sulphuric acid] at the dogs. causing them life- threatening injuries.
“Two of the dogs eventually succumbed to their painful burns and the third dog was admitted by a local Community Champion.
“Her prognosis was hopeless and it was decided to humanely put an end to her pain and suffering.
“We recovered the two partially decomposed bodies from the front yard of the Tambo Village property they once called home,” Perrins added.
According to Erna Maas, a community worker who found the dogs and took them to the AWS, she was flagged down by Mofu’s brother.
“I help people in the townships to sterilise their dogs and take them to animal welfare. The young boy said his brother’s dogs were thrown with acid, two were dead and one was still what he thought was OK,” Maas explained.
“I was very distraught to see the poor dogs, it was too terrible and I took the one that was still alive and went straight to animal welfare in hopes to try and save it, but the injuries were too severe and the poor dog was put to sleep.”
According to Erna, Mofu’s brother said it was “council workers” who threw acid on the honde.
However, the only eye witness is the owner but he is nowhere to be found.
The City of Cape Town said it received no confirmation on the incident and therefore couldn’t respond.
Perrins said the dogs had died from extreme third-degree burns and were also blinded by the acid which could have dissolved in their eyes.
“When the van arrived with the bodies at the back of the van, the van was wall to wall with maggots just crawling all over the trailer, and the stench was overpowering from the decomposed flesh.”
He said anyone who witnessed the “savage incident” can anonymously call the AWS on 021 692 2626.
marsha.dean@inl.co.za