A Cape Town man allegedly caught by his girlfriend’s daughter having sex with the family dog is expected to appear in the Simon’s Town Magistrate’s Court on Monday after being arrested on a charge of bestiality.

The 66-year-old man was arrested in Ocean View on Friday after the woman reported the matter to the authorities.

Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi said the complainant had arrived home and started looking for her dog.

“The dog jumped out and the man dressed himself. The dog has since been removed and placed in an animal shelter for safekeeping,” said Swartbooi.

Bestiality is illegal in South Africa and is a crime in which a person has any form of sexual encounter with an animal, Cape of Good Hope SPCA spokesperson Belinda Abraham explained.

She told News24 the owner of the dog was “traumatised” and had contacted The Emma Animal Rescue Society (Tears) which had referred her to the SPCA for further investigation.

SPCA inspector Mark Syce and the police were dispatched to the scene to investigate the allegation.

“On arrival, inspector Syce found the family dog violated and in need of veterinary care. The dog was taken to a veterinarian for an examination and to secure DNA samples for further testing,” said Abraham.

The SPCA said DNA samples were handed over to the Ocean View police for further testing in support of criminal charges.

“Once questioned further, the owner of the dog also told the SPCA inspector that the suspect sexually abused her as a child. She pressed charges at the time, but nothing came of the case,” Abraham said.

Abraham said the link between gender-based violence (GBV) and animal abuse is referenced in research.