LISTEN: Attridgeville ‘dogfighters’ sent to prison
The Atteridgeville Magistrates Court has sentenced two men to two years behind bars after their pit bull terriers were involved in dogfighting.
Tebogo Maselwane and Thato Manzini were arrested in June during a raid by the police and inspectors from the SPCA.
The two were also declared unfit to own firearms and banned from owning any species of animals for five years.
“It’s not only important for the NSPCA but it’s important for the community and societies of our country. Dog fighting represents both an indicator and a predictor crime. It indicates that there is this criminal activity and linked criminal violent activity in an area. It also predicts the future escalation of control crimes and violent crimes in an area. It is a violent blood sport, and it represents violent people and we need to protect communities from this,” says the SPCA’s Wendy Willson.
ALSO READ: EFF wants Public Protector to investigate Gordhan
She says people involved in dogfighting pose a threat to other members of the community.
“A lot of people will just say ‘ah well it’s just dogs’, but its dogs that don’t have a voice, it’s vulnerable. And anybody who will subject or demand violence from a vulnerable and enjoys watching violence and cruelty inflicted on a vulnerable, it’s not only the dogs that they are a threat to.
“They are a threat to all (those who are) vulnerable. Children, women, the elderly and this is a concern all around the world.”