TikToker faces prosecution for force feeding alcohol to fish

TikToker faces prosecution for force feeding alcohol to fish

The National Council of Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) will be laying criminal charges against a TikToker who forced a fish to consume alcohol.

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In a recent viral video, a TikTok user known as Lethabo Sebapo can be seen pouring an alcoholic beverage - suspected to be beer - down the mouth of a common carp. 

In the video, he holds the fish in one hand while pouring the beverage into its mouth, laughing throughout.

NSPCA spokesperson, Jacques Peacock, says Sebapo has been tracked and contacted, and adds that the compilation of a docket is in its final stages.

"Sebapo - who describes himself on TikTok as fun, an entrepreneur, a CEO and an innovative person - will face criminal charges under the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962," says Peacock. "The individual admitted to the act and stated that his motivation was (to have) fun." 

According to Peacock, the NSPCA has seen an alarming increase in videos depicting animal cruelty since the rise of social media platforms like TikTok. 

"Much of our Inspectors' time and resources are now taken up by tracking and investigating the sources of such videos," he says. He adds that these cases often end up unsuccessful. "We won't be able to find clues in the footage that could lead you to the individual. All the time that our inspectors spend on these investigations, is time taken away from where they can be out in the field, assisting animals where needed." 

Peacock does however say that they are receiving support from South Africans in this regard. 

"The NSPCA is heartened by the widespread condemnation of Sebapo's actions, which reflects the compassion that many South Africans feel for animals - including fish - who are often overlooked in their capacity for sentience and suffering. We hope this prosecution will serve as a strong deterrent, discouraging individuals not only from publishing acts of animal cruelty as a form of entertainment, but also from committing them in the first place."

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