A case of dog fighting that occured in May 2011 has finally had a day in court.
Source :: Cape Times 08 Oct 2013 - John Harvey
In May 2011, police and animal welfare groups raided a
smallholding in Ladywood. The police and
SPCA officials made the horrific discovery of two pitbull terriers fighting in
a cage in the centre of the living room where another 6 pitbulls were chained
waiting to fight. The welfare workers
were horrified at the extent of the injuries of the dogs. The two dogs were so badly injured that they
had to be rushed away for treatment.
Police arrested 10 people and confiscated a substantial
amount of restricted veterinary drugs, allegedly used to treat dogs severely
injured in fights, or even to put down pitbulls which were unlikely to survive
the ordeal. Upon further investigation
it emerged that the drugs were supplied by a government official also arrested
at the fight. In Feb 2012 IOL reported
that Ferdinand Endemann had been dismissed as an employee at the Western Cape
Agriculture Department, and criminally charges were brought against him. Billy
Marais, a chef at a top local restaurant, and owner of the property, was also
amongst those arrested. He was known to
own about 6 American pitbull terriers and claimed that he was rehabilitating
these rescues.
An SPCA source, who did not want to be named because he
feared for his and his family’s safety, said some of the men arrested were
believed to be involved in professionally organised fighting bouts and were key
players in the underworld of organised fighting.
Source :: Cape Times 08 Oct 2013 - John Harvey