South African man arrested for shooting dog to death

A South African man aged 68 has been arrested for allegedly shooting a neighbor’s dog three times after it got into a tussle with another dog.

On Saturday 3 October, authorities charged to the scene where witnesses had seen a man shoot a female dog (Pitbull) three times after it got into a scuffle with another dog.

According to the Randburg SPCA, officers interviewed the witnesses and examined the surviving dog that was involved in the altercation with the pitbull.

“The surviving dog was a medium-sized mixed breed and after examination, was not injured and did not need veterinary treatment,” the SPCA said in a statement.

After identifying the shooter, Head of Inspectorate Inspector Shiven Bodasing engaged with the suspect.

“It was discovered that the man heard the dogs barking and fighting outside of his property in a common area, which borders all the neighbours on the plot. The suspect then proceeded to go into his house, fetch his firearm, walk out of his premises to the fighting dogs a few meters away, and instead of attempting to separate them, fired three shots into the female pitbull,” it added.

Inspector Shiven Bodasing said that as officers, they are vested with a certain discretion and are empowered to investigate offences in respect of animals.

“In respect of this incident, it was clear that there existed far less severe methods the suspect could have employed in order to achieve the same result. It was not reasonable nor necessary to resort to [the] shooting of the animal, there was no attempt made to separate the animals, there were people all around him, he is not entitled to take the law into his own hands,” said Bodasing.

“The most inexcusable aggravating fact of this matter is that he discharged a firearm in such a manner to expose other people to immediate danger,” added Bodasing.

Assisting the head Inspector, Cadet Bradley Hughes said it was “so unnecessary” to have shot the dog.

“The other dog was not even injured in the fight, so it clearly wasn’t severe enough to warrant the use of a firearm. None of the dogs belonged to the suspect, and the fight did not occur in his premises, but rather a few meters outside his yard,” said Hughes.

According to the SPCA, the lifeless body of the female pitbull was removed from a shallow grave behind the premises, for postmortem examination and fragment ballistics. The man was, thereafter, taken into custody and charged with Animal Cruelty, as well as, the unlawful discharge of a firearm and malicious damage to property.

The SPCA said animal cruelty is a schedule 1 offence and any person convicted of such shall be liable to a fine of R40 000 or direct imprisonment without the option of a fine, in terms of the country’s Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962.