Distressed and doped. Photos: Provided.

Six alleged wildlife poachers have been caught in a trap of their own making. The men, aged 27-59, were noticed this past Sunday (10 July) while travelling on the R27 from Yzerfontein/Darling with a bakkie load of visibly distressed Greyhounds.

A member of the local Community Police Forum (CPF), travelling in the same direction, noticed the old Isuzu double cab bakkie and its load of 11 large dogs. The CPF member contacted the Melkbosstrand police, who intercepted the bakkie on the M19.

Two were in a critical condition.

Pitiful state
According to Melkbosstrand police spokesperson Constable Debbie Alard the dogs were in a state of dehydration and exhaustion. Injectable doping equipment used to push greyhounds beyond their limits were found in the men’s possession, as were a porcupine and a Cape Jackal that had been hunted by the dogs. According to the SPCA porcupines are sold for muti. A single porcupine can fetch around R70 000.

Porcupines are sold for muti.

The SPCA, Peanut Animal Welfare and Cape Nature Conservation were summoned. They treated nine of the dogs successfully on the scene. Two of the dogs that were in a critical condition were treated separately.

Animal cruelty
The SPCA and Cape Nature Conservation have laid various charges of animal cruelty against the six men. They appear in the Atlantis magistrate’s court today. Melkbosstrand Station Commander Captain Ronita van der Toorn commended the CPF, SPCA, Peanut Animal Welfare, Cape Nature Conservations and SAPS members for their excellent work.