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- A female pit bull has been put down by the SPCA after being beaten on the head for stealing a piece of braai meat in Bloemfontein.
- The dog's injuries were too severe to treat.
- The police are said to be investigating a case of animal cruelty.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in Bloemfontein has put down a pit bull who was beaten after she apparently snatched a piece of braai meat last week.
The SPCA removed the bloodied black and white female dog from her owners in Thaba Nchu and decided to euthanize her due to the severity of her injuries.
SPCA inspector Werner Botha said they received a "disturbing" call from a resident who told them the dog's owner had beaten and cut open the dog because she ate a small piece of braai meat.
"When I got to the property, the full extent of the situation became clear. The pit bull sustained severe injuries across its head with the open wounds piercing the skin and muscle tissue," said Botha.
He said there were two extremely large lacerations across the dog's head.
Botha said when he proceeded to ask the owner what had happened to the dog, the owner showed no remorse when explaining he had severely hit the animal.
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Botha said the owner said: "I just got so mad and hit [her] with the bottle until it broke."
According to the SPCA, the force required to break a bottle across a dog's head was substantial.
While searching the property, the SPCA also discovered that the environment was not conducive to house animals.
"The dog's living conditions were shocking, with the dog being kept in a small back area. The entire area was covered in old urine stains and faecal matter. Even the food bowl placed for the dog was between its faeces," said Botha.
He said the owner had little regard for the well-being of his animals and had left the dog with his injuries for multiple days before the SPCA intervened.
"We as a society need to have an honest conversation with one another about dog ownership. We are eager to blame the breed or victim but fail to remind ourselves that the responsibility of pet ownership and animal husbandry falls solely on the pet owner," said Werner.
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The SPCA said due to the severity of the injuries, a case of animal cruelty was registered at the Selosesha police station.
Police have been approached for comment, which will be added when received.
"The blatant arrogance of this individual to feel he was warranted to punish a dog so severely for a piece of meat speaks volumes of his moral compass and ability to keep a power breed,” said Botha.
"We are hopeful of securing a criminal conviction and declaring him unfit to own animals," he added.
