Cape Town – A suspect was arrested by Inspectors of the Cape of Good Hope SPCA and officers of the City of Cape Town Law Enforcement after a video of a cat being abused went viral on social media.
The suspect and his accomplice were arrested in Hanover Park following video footage that was sent to the SPCA.
The Cape of Good Hope SPCA launched a manhunt to trace the suspect and “ensure justice is served”.
“In the video, the 17-year-old man is seen picking up a tame, trusting cat as he shows the camera his empty packet of chips saying, ‘this is what happens when you eat all my chips up. Chips is up, he’s also gonna go up.’
“Shockingly, the young man suddenly hurls the small helpless creature like a rugby ball into the air, sending the innocent cat flying over a nearby rooftop,” the SPCA wrote in a statement.
The SPCA added that it decided to go public with the video to call on the public to come forward with information that could lead to the arrest of the culprit.
The young man and his accomplice (18), who filmed the abuse, were taken into custody and charged with animal cruelty in terms of the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962.
Cape of Good Hope SPCA Chief Inspector Jaco Pieterse showed gratitude to the public who assisted the SPCA in its investigation.
“I am very pleased with the persistence of our team in finding the culprits. We are extremely grateful to the public for their assistance in providing information that led to this arrest. We are also very grateful for the swift support we received from the City of Cape Town. We will do everything in our power to ensure that justice is served,” Pieterse said.
The suspects are expected to appear in the Wynberg Magistrates Court on charges of animal cruelty.
“The cat, a young male (under 1-year-old) survived the incident and was taken into the care of the Cape of Good Hope SPCA where he is receiving a full medical examination and care,” The SPCA added in the statement.
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Compiled by Junaid Benjamin
