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Cape Town – The NSPCA’s Wildlife Protection Unit is investigating a case of animal cruelty after receiving a complaint from Ban Animal Trading (BAT), alerting them to animals being kept in dire conditions at the Endofaun Zoo in Bapsfontein, east of Johannesburg.
The NSPCA said in a statement on its website that after securing a warrant to search the premises, inspectors found various snakes, marmosets, tamarins, meerkats, mongoose, genets and rodents kept in small, filthy dirty cages in a building on the property.
“All cages had excrement and food waste accumulation and in many cages dirty food bowls had not even been removed. New food bowls were merely placed on top of old, rotting food,” said Ainsley Hay, manager of the NSPCA’s Wildlife Protection Unit.
According to the statement the rodents and snakes were housed in the most shocking conditions, saying the cages had “not been cleaned in months”.
“Faecal matter was piled high with dirty, soiled sawdust in the rodent cages and the animals showed obvious signs of illness like mange, untreated injuries, tumours and breathing difficulties.”
According to the statement, many of the snakes showed signs of hunger, with some appearing underweight.
The snakes were also not stored under the proper conditions with large accumulations of faeces, urates and shed skin in the enclosures. They also appeared to have “no access to water, adequate lighting, heating and ventilation”.
The rodents and snakes have since been removed from the zoo and a written warning has been issued for the remaining animals.
The NSPCA said the owner of the zoo, Mr Jimmy Magill is an alleged notorious animal trader and also runs taxidermy from the zoo property.
“It is obvious that his main business rationale is the commercial trade in living animals and their products.”
BAT said in a post on its Facebook page, “We would like to thank the NSPCA - National Council of SPCA's for listening to our concerns regarding the horrific conditions we found Animals living in at the Endofaun Zoo in Babsfontein.
“BAT, as an Animal Rights Organisation is grateful to the NSPCA who are an Animal Welfare Organisation for acting to swiftly by inspecting the Zoo premises.
“In terms of the Animals Protection Act of 1962 the NSPCA are currently in the process of laying charges of animal cruelty against the Endofaun Zoo.
