Dunoon man arrested for illegal dog sales

A 20-year-old man was arrested on animal cruelty charges and is being kept behind bars at Table View police station for selling puppies along Malibongwe Boulevard in Dunoon.

Cape of Good Hope SPCA spokesperson Belinda Abraham, said the SPCA had spent nearly two months looking for the suspect but finally caught him in the act on Thursday, March 16.

She said an animal lover posed as if he was interested in purchasing an animal from the suspect, who then gave his address.

The City of Cape Town’s Animal Control Unit, SPCA and Table View police made the arrest at his home near Potsdam Road, she said.

Fortunately, no other animals were found at the address, she added.

“Thanks to team effort, this devious individual, known for changing clothes every 30 minutes to avoid identification by the authorities, could finally be caught,” she added.

Table View police spokesperson Captain Adriana Chandler confirmed the incident, and said the man was arrested just after 2pm on Thursday. She said the suspect is due to appear in court this week.

In a short video clip sent to Tabletalk, the suspect can be seen swinging a puppy hanging from a rope.

SPCA Chief Inspector Jaco Pieterse was at the scene.

He said: “I’m thankful that this animal abuser will finally face his day in court. We will never give up when we know that animals need us, even if it means returning to the same area several times a day and at all times of the day or night for weeks on end. We were determined to put a stop to this and we’re glad our perseverance has paid off.”

Mr Pieterse said the suspect could face 12 months imprisonment or pay a R40 000 fine, however, investigations are still ongoing.

He said people buying any animals from the side of the road are unwittingly perpetuating a cycle of cruelty and abuse.

If you see anyone selling animals or showing abuse to animals, contact the SPCA at 021 700 4158 or email inspectorate@spca-ct.co.za