A Bloemfontein resident will never again be able to keep a pet after he was convicted on several counts for leaving his dogs in a vehicle to die.
Marco Terblanche was sentenced on Friday, 13 October, in the Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court for an incident that took place from 10 to 15 October 2021.
Inspector Werner Botha of the Bloemfontein SPCA responded to a call of two dachshunds trapped inside a vehicle at 64 Charles Street, next to the Municipal Library.
When responding to the call on Friday, 15 October 2021, it became evident that the dogs inside the vehicle had died.
Members of the public informed Botha that the dogs had been trapped in the vehicle since 10 October in temperatures sometimes reaching 35 °C.
During a clinical evaluation, it was found that the dogs had succumbed to severe dehydration and heat stroke while trapped in the car.
Terblanche left the dogs in the vehicle on Sunday, 10 October 2021, after consuming a large amount of alcohol and becoming intoxicated. As a result, he could not remember where the vehicle was parked, leading to the two dachshunds succumbing to the conditions inside the vehicle.
Botha proceeded to open a case of animal cruelty against Terblanche.
Terblanche was found guilty on five counts of animal cruelty under the Animal Protection Act 71 of 1962.
Acting Magistrate Pieter Peyper found Terblanche unfit to own, or be in charge of, any animal for the rest of his life.
He was further sentenced to 36 months of correctional supervision, of which six months of direct imprisonment was suspended on condition that all aspects of the correctional supervision are adhered to.
He was also ordered to do more than 300 hours of community service at the Bloemfontein SPCA.
“The Bloemfontein SPCA celebrates the justice that was served to these tortured dachshunds,” Botha said.
“I feel relieved that after all this time, justice has finally been served for those two dogs. I vividly remember the paw prints and scratches against the windows as they had tried to escape. The dogs tried to find shelter out of the 35 °C heat by hiding behind a TV and a portrait in the car,” Botha said.
State Prosecutor Lareece Visagie officiated in the case against Terblanche.
