People's Post Grassy Park - 10 November 2020

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TRAGIC CASES OF ANIMAL CRUELTY

Call to ban the bang The Animal Welfare Society is calling for a ban on fireworks after horrific scenes during this year’s Guy Fawkes Day celebrations.PHOTO: SAMANTHA LEE-JACOBS

SAMANTHA LEE-JACOBS SAMANTHA.LEE@PEOPLESPOST.CO.ZA @SAMANTHA_LEE121

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nimal organisations are continuing to call for the overall ban on fireworks and this has been intensified following a particularly “horrific” Guy Fawkes Day. The Animal Welfare Society of South Africa (AWS) shared graphic images of dogs who had either died or were in distress following “celebrations” on Thursday 5 November. While there has been a notable decrease in animals maimed or injured during the 2020 Guy Fawkes Day, especially tragic was a case in Mitchell’s Plain, where AWS officials were called to collect the body of a dog who had his face blown off by a firecracker. “Despite an apparent decrease in the number of animals maimed and injured or negatively impacted by fireworks last night, the cases we dealt with were some of the most horrific we have ever seen,” says the organisation in a statement. “We were called to Mitchell’s Plain to exhume the body of a dog who had his face blown off after a neighbour allegedly purposely lit a firecracker in the street and the young dog – not sensing danger – grabbed the lit cracker and ran away only to have it explode in his mouth, shredding his face and killing him in-

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stantly in front of his shocked owner and other bystanders.” The discharging of fireworks in residential areas is prohibited, with the City of Cape Town also no longer providing designated sites. Last year, the decision was taken to only allow the discharging of fireworks on sites following an application for a permit to do so. “We no longer provide designated sites (as) there is growing public sentiment opposing the use of fireworks, and we have also seen a decreased appetite from subcouncils to approve designated sites,” Mayco member for safety and security, JP Smith says in a statement. He confirms that designated sites also did not deter residents from illegally discharging fireworks in residential areas. This year, Guy Fawkes trended on social media for several incidents which occurred on the Cape Flats. One, in particular, was the string of incidents in Duinefontein Road, Manenberg. Resident Elrico Jacobs, who has been living in the area for 40 years, says this was the worst “celebration to date” with multiple people across the Cape Flats being attacked. “Every year, things are getting worse. Guy Fawkes should be banned (because) our people’s safety is at risk. Law officials had their hands full on this day and can’t handle the (added) pressure (while) dealing with the

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gang fights that’s also happening in our (area),” he says. “For me, to witness an elderly person being attacked by youngsters in my area was very upsetting and sad. I felt anger inside me to think our children are doing this and their parents didn’t punish them for their actions. Their parents defended them in their wrongdoings.” His outrage follows the attack of an elderly man by children wielding paint-filled socks. Smith agrees that Guy Fawkes has become synonymous with malicious and violent attacks. “The 5th of November has become notorious for assaults, malicious damage to property and scores of fireworks-related complaints,” says Smith. “The annual ‘tradition’ has, in recent years, been associated with acts of violence and intimidation by mobs of youths in a number of hotspots around the metropole.” Officers are deployed to areas via the City’s public emergency communication centre, which last year fielded 350 calls mostly relating to cars being stoned, people being assaulted and the discharging of fireworks. “Guy Fawkes crimes are perpetrated by a minority who hold law-abiding citizens to ransom in the name of fun. I’ve been very clear in the past that this outdated tradition needs to stop. Apart from the indiscriminate letting off of fireworks that disturbs the peace

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and terrorises animals and communities, the senseless violence directed at motorists and pedestrians can simply not be condoned,” says Smith. In another incident, the AWS was called to rescue a petrified old Boerboel who was cruelly cornered and beaten by a mob. They tormented the dog by hurling bricks, stones and firecrackers at him until daybreak when a concerned resident of Kampies informal settlement took pity on him and ran all the way to the AWS offices in Philippi. “Our search and rescue team led by animal care centre supervisor Lawrence Nkotha is familiar with the layout of the small settlement and, moments after arriving, we were led to what some of the by-standers crudely described as a ’vrothond’. Instead what we found was a gentle and frightened lost dog, cowering in a dank and dirty lean-to with a pleading look in his swollen eyes that were oozing puss,” says the organisation. His rescue was mocked with laughter as the rescue team collected the dog. Along the way, there was an evident trail of dispersed fireworks. Unfortunately, the trauma suffered was too great and the dog had to be euthanised. The organisation says it will now use these two cases to intensify its call for a ban on fireworks and harsher sanctions for transgressors.

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