The SPCA has opened a criminal case against eight youths, of whom some are as young as seven years, who stoned and drowned a dog in Manenberg recently.

The dog’s torture was captured on video and given to the SPCA. The video shows the youths, who have been identified, torturing a thin, light-coloured dog as they laughed. The incident took place on a piece of open land. The dog’s body was recovered yesterday by SPCA inspectors from a body of water in the area. The rope by which it had been dragged along to its place of execution was still around its neck.

Cellphone video recorded horror
In a video which was given to the SPCA a voice commented that the dog had gone “into a house to get the chickens.” Voices cried out repeatedly, “You’re gonna die! Die!” Its horrific punishment included being dragged by a rope, kicked, stoned, and having a reluctant pitbull repeatedly set on it. The pitbull showed no inclination to attack, and had to be thrown onto its victim. According to the SPCA an autopsy will show if the light-coloured dog was alive at the time it was drowned – as is believed.

Can they be rehabilitated?
According to Tara McGovern, Communications & Resource Development Assistant for the SPCA,
“A social worker will have to advise if the youths involved in the dog’s death can be rehabilitated.” In a statement released this afternoon, the SPCA states, “These are not images of young hooligans behaving badly but rather footage of tomorrow’s killers who if left unchecked will almost certainly kill again. Such uncivilised and savage deeds dare not be left unpunished for the sake of the perpetrators and the victims alike. We will leave no stone unturned in our quest for justice and have already made excellent progress and secured crucial evidence.”