Local News
10 donkeys slaughtered, 100 skins found on North West farm─── 05:31 Thu, 02 Mar 2017
Excelsior - The NSPCA has discovered 100 donkey skins and 10 donkeys which are believed to have been unlawfully slaughtered at a lion farm in the North West, the organisation said on Wednesday.
Inspector Arno de Klerk said the NSPCA obtained a warrant to raid the Excelsior Lion Farm near Tosca on Wednesday following a tip-off.
"NSPCA personnel uncovered evidence of large numbers of donkeys having been inhumanely slaughtered. We also uncovered approximately 100 skins," he said.
The donkeys had not been pre-stunned to render them unconscious prior to slaughter, a contravention of the Animals Protection Act.
De Klerk said they discovered that ten of the donkeys had been slaughtered on Tuesday night.
"The NSPCA is of the opinion that this is a commercial operation which is involved in the donkey skin trade and also linked to the recent sale in Hartswater in the North West province where an estimated 450 donkeys were auctioned and sold."
He said NSPCA personnel were present at the auction, inspecting all the animals and intervening when necessary.
De Klerk said an abattoir was discovered on the property, however, it was only registered for the slaughter of cattle, sheep and goats - not equines, making the slaughter of the ten donkeys an offence.
The donkey skins have been removed from the property and sent to a place of safety.
Criminal charges will be laid against the farm owners in terms of the Animals Protection Act, Stock Theft Act and the Meat Safety Act, De Klerk said.
