A man has been granted R1,000 bail after he was arrested for hacking a young zebra to death in Limpopo.
In footage of the gruesome event, two men can be seen hacking the zebra that was trapped beneath a piece of wire fence.
At the time, the National Council of SPCAs said the animal was killed for the bush meat trade.
"We are not opposed to the slaughtering of animals for food. What we do oppose is unnecessary cruelty. The level of suffering this animal must have endured is unimaginable," the animal advocacy group said.
NSPCA Wildlife Protection Manager, Douglas Wolhuter, said the man was arrested on February 20 and appeared in the Giyani Magistrate's Court where he was granted bail.
WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO
"The first suspect faces charges relating to several contraventions of the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962.
"There is a second suspect in this case, who we believe is working in another province. He too will be charged in terms of the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962, and brought before Court as soon as he is located," Wolhuter explained.
He said the NSPCA welcomes the development.
The NSPCA will not tolerate cruelty and will not turn a blind eye to anyone who contravenes the Animals Protection Act.
Meanwhile, in a separate case, The Durban and Coast SPCA has welcomed the conviction of a Morningside man who dumped two cats at the side of a road.
"Ali Danka was fined R1,000 or one month’s imprisonment. Although he initially denied his involvement, the entire incident – including the licence plate of the car – was captured by a nearby security camera. Danka is seen pulling up next to the curb, before heartlessly throwing the cats out of a basket into the gutter and driving off," said the organisation's Candice Sadayan.
She added that the cats managed to run into a nearby store where they were then handed over to the SPCA.
Sadayan said although the sentence was lenient, it confirmed that Danka now had a criminal record.
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