The SPCA was alerted to a man’s illegal veterinary practice after he sutured a gunshot wound on a dog’s face.
Police spokesperson Constable Ndakhe Gwala said the SPCA investigated the man after the dog’s owner had taken her to the association for follow-up care.
Sequence of events
About four months ago, the suspect treated a dog that had been shot by stitching the wound on the animal’s face and injecting it. The dog’s owner later took her to the SPCA, where bullet fragments were discovered in the sutured wound and subsequently removed.
The SPCA received further complaints about animals being treated by the accused under deeply worrying conditions.
Police and courts intervene
Inspector Jeffrey Mfini of the SPCA obtained a search warrant from the Mitchells Plain Magistrates’ Court for the fake vet’s house in Portland. The operation was carried out with the Mitchells Plain police and Law Enforcement Animal Control Unit.
During the search two American Bully-type dogs were found kept on chains and removed. The conditions in which they were kept now formed part of the broader criminal investigation.
Gwala said the man was arrested at the scene. The SPCA said he was charged under the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962 for animal cruelty and under the Veterinary and Para-Veterinary Professions Act 19 of 1982 for allegedly performing veterinary procedures without being registered with the South African Veterinary Council.
Several further investigations involving the accused are currently pending.
SPCA comment
“This case highlights the extreme danger posed by individuals who falsely present themselves as qualified veterinary professionals,” the SPCA said. “Animals suffer tremendously when unqualified people perform procedures, administer medication or attempt medical treatment without the necessary qualifications, oversight or legal authority.”
Pet owners have been urged to confirm that any vet or para-veterinary professional is properly registered with the South African Veterinary Council before seeking treatment for their animals.
“This is not simply a paperwork issue. These laws exist to protect animals from pain, suffering, botched procedures and dangerous medical practices. When someone unlawfully practises as a veterinarian, it is the animals that ultimately pay the price.”
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