WATCH: SPCA exhumes dog ‘shot by soldier’, but SANDF claims video is 'fake news'

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Cape Town – The Cape of Good Hope SPCA yesterday exhumed the remains of a dog that was allegedly shot and killed by a member of the SANDF. While the SANDF has decried the incident as “fake news”, Belinda Abraham, a spokesperson for the animal welfare organisation, said the incident occurred earlier this week. The organisation was made aware of a video on social media in which a soldier allegedly shot a dog in Parkwood and they investigated. “We were able to trace the location of the dog, named Bonzo, who was shot (allegedly) by an SANDF member earlier in the week. “Bonzo’s remains have been exhumed and we have sent these to the State Veterinary Services for a post-mortem.

“There is a facial wound that represents a bullet wound but we are still waiting for the official outcome.”

She said they also had a witness to the shooting and all they needed was the identity of the shooter.

“We are confident that it is only a matter of time before we have all we need to pursue justice for Bonzo. In a similar incident in KwaZulu-Natal, the deputy mayor and a bodyguard were found guilty of cruelty to animals, demonstrating that nobody is above the law. We look forward to being Bonzo’s voice in a court of law.”

Bonzo’s owner, Christalene Johannes, said she was deeply saddened by the death of her dog.

“Another dog barked at him (the soldier) and he pushed at it with the rifle, and my dog came and he barked at him too, then he shot (Bonzo) with his rifle. I just stood and cried, I was traumatised.

“That was my dog, I loved my dog, he protected us,” Johannes said.

Witness Marco Cloete said before the dog was killed, residents were ordered by soldiers to go inside their homes.

“They chased us into our homes and we went. The dog came and barked. He took his gun out and shot, without the dog biting him.

"We love our dogs. The shops are already closed and now they are shooting our dogs.”

Animal Welfare Society spokesperson Allan Perrins also put out a call for

anyone with information to come forward.

The SANDF, however, said the incident in question happened in September 2019 and not during the national lockdown.

“This fake news is viewed as an attempt not only to mislead the local, regional and international public, but to question the integrity of the SANDF, and the public is urged not to take this particular video clip as a true reflection of the lockdown.

“This follows an audio-visual video clip that is currently being circulated on various social media platforms depicting a soldier shooting at a dog that at the time of the incident appears to be attacking the soldier.

“The incident was investigated and an internal disciplinary process was initiated and the matter was laid to rest,” the SANDF said.

Report animal cruelty by calling

021 700 4158/9 or 083 326 1604.

Cape Times