Durban — A Durban woman is not permitted to own a pet for five years after the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court sentenced her to a fine or jail time this week.
Beverley Baker, the former owner of Bella, a cross-terrier, was charged with animal cruelty and refusing her dog access to veterinary care, almost two years ago.
The charges were brought by the Kloof and Highway SPCA, who came across Bella while attending to another complaint on the same property.
Kloof and Highway SPCA manager Barbara Patrick said through this sentence Bella finally got a voice.
“The sentence was a fine of R4 000 or 12 months’ imprisonment and R2 000 suspended for five years,” said Patrick.
According to Patrick, SPCA members had responded to a complaint about a cross-pit bull that was chained on the property.
“The inspectors went out to deal with that complaint and while talking to the owner, they saw Bella in the background who seemed to be scratching continuously. Once they had dealt with the chained dog, they asked about Bella and were told she was under veterinary care.”
However, when they checked with the vet named by the owner, it was confirmed that Bella was not a patient and they had no knowledge of an owner named Beverly Baker who had brought a dog in for treatment, said Patrick.
“From there we obviously had to go back on the property. We tried to help her. We made appointments with our clinic. Numerous appointments were made for her to bring Bella for treatment. When she didn’t arrive for the last appointment they'd made, we went back to the property and were denied access by the owner.”
They approached the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court for a warrant to remove Bella.
“We removed her and took her back to the clinic so our vet could assess her and give us a full veterinary report. She had numerous problems,” said Patrick.
Kloof and Highway SPCA vet Dr Nic Bangay reported that Bella suffered from several conditions including alopecia (hair loss), pyoderma (a skin infection with pus), was covered in fleas, demodectic mange, chronic ear inflammation, cataracts, a mammary tumour and a drastic increase in white blood cells, indicating chronic inflammation.
Patrick said Bella was an older dog and had obviously been suffering with these conditions for a long time.
“That made it even worse and sadder for us because had she been treated, she would have been absolutely fine. There was nothing that wasn’t treatable, but it had been left so long that she couldn’t be treated.”
Bella had to be put down and Patrick said Baker’s conviction was a bittersweet victory, but the most important outcome is that Baker has been banned from owning or caring for any animal for five years.
Patrick said this was their first conviction for the year and that it often took years for their cases to be heard and finalised in court.
Independent on Saturday