A Cape Town man was arrested hours after a video of him raping a dog went viral on Thursday.
Cape of Good Hope SPCA said they immediately investigated and traced the 23-year-old man to his home in Manenberg, where he was arrested.
“A ‘sickening’ selfie-style video footage emerged on social media showing him raping a dog,” said the SPCA in a statement.
“The man was taken into police custody and the SPCA has laid criminal charges against him for bestiality in terms of the criminal law [Sexual Offences and Related Matters] Amendment Act 32 of 2007, and animal cruelty in terms of the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962, which makes it an offence to ill-treat, torture or terrify any animal.
“The dog underwent a full veterinary assessment at the Cape of Good Hope SPCA and will remain in safekeeping.”
It also said the puppy was found living in deplorable conditions, adding that when one considers a crime of this nature, the link between gender-based (GBV) violence and animal abuse should not be forgotten.
The SPCA cites the statistic that at least 71% of GBV perpetrators are also likely to abuse the most vulnerable members of society – children, the elderly, and animals.
SPCA chief inspector Jaco Pieterse said they do will everything in their power to ensure that the significantly cruel act of animal rape is prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
“We also removed the victim, a small-breed young dog from the property. In addition to evidence of having suffered horrendous sexual abuse, the puppy was also confined to a small wooden box and forced to live in otherwise deplorable conditions,” said Pieterse.
The SPCA further urged communities to report animal cruelty and cases of bestiality.
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