Cape Town - A Strand man who was caught on video viciously strangling a dog to death with a rope has been arrested thanks to hard-working inspectors at the Cape of Good Hope SPCA.
In a statement, the animal welfare organisation said they acted swiftly after receiving the video from a witness on March 15.
The upsetting footage depicts a dog named Olaf being subjected to unimaginable cruelty.
“Olaf is seen struggling under a thick blanket as attempts were likely made to smother her and then with a rope around her neck, thrashing, gagging and gasping for air while being forcefully restrained by a man.
“The desperate pleas of her carers did nothing to dissuade him and by the end of the video, a limp Olaf appears to be dead.”
Chief inspector, Jaco Pieterse, said even as a seasoned inspector, the video was hard to watch.
“No animal deserves to suffer like that. She must’ve been terrified, confused and in agony.”
Olaf was rushed to Helderberg Animal Welfare Society, but was declared dead on arrival.
Her body was collected by the SPCA and a post-mortem conducted by an expert veterinary pathologist confirmed she died as a result of injuries consistent with strangulation.
The man, whose identity cannot be revealed until he has appeared in court, was apprehended with the help of the Strand police on Wednesday.
Pieterse said shockingly, it was discovered that the suspect had been entrusted with curatorship over Olaf’s owner’s affairs.
Police spokesperson, Wesley Twigg, said the suspect, 66, was released on a warning to appear in court on April 10.
Meanwhile, SPCA spokesperson, Belinda Abraham warned the public to ensure “appropriate provisions are made for the care of your pets by compassionate persons who would care for them should you become unable to”.