Dogs rescued from squalid house in Clare Estate
Posted on 2019-04-24 12:28:40
On Saturday 20 April, Durbanites woke up to news of an SPCA raid on a house in Clare Estate, where 80 dogs were living in appalling squalor with their owner.
Following a tip off from a member of the public, our SPCA Inspectors obained a warrant to enter the property and seize the animals. As they approached the house, they were overcome by the putrid stench of rotting dog corpses, debris, filth and dog faeces which covered every room, including the owner's bedroom and en-suite bathroom. Outside, piles of raw meat covered in flies lay beside the gate.
Eighty dogs were removed from the house, as well as 20 dog corpses - some of which had been there so long they were reduced to skeletons. Live dogs were suffering from starvation, dehydration, coccidiosis (from eathing faeces), tick bite fever, hookworm and round worm infestations, blindness, infected bite wounds from fighting among themselves, severe tick and flea infestations, interbreeding and open, foetid wounds on jutting out bones.
It was one of the worst cases we have ever experienced. The owner claimed that the dogs were her 'children' and that she took good care of them, 'so there is no case of cruelty'.
"There is a fate much worse than humane euthanasia," said Caroline Smith, Manager of the Durban & Coast SPCA. "This case illustrates it in no uncertain terms. These dogs were left to die slow, painful deaths without veterinary treatment."
"The SPCA has the experience and resources to act in the best interest of the animal – which includes preventing further suffering. These animals' living conditions, their prolonged suffering and deaths, had a profound, traumatising effect on our team. No one who loves animals could stomach the horrific scene we had to deal with."
Once again, we urge members of the public to hand over unwanted or stray animals to their local SPCA, rather than giving them to people who offer to 'rescue' them or care for them. We also appreciate any and all donations towards our work to prevent animal cruelty and rescue animals in distress.
More images from the house in Clare Estate
