KNYSNA NEWS - A video doing the rounds on social media has caused more than just a stir among locals, bringing about feelings of shock and anger at how pets are treated once they pass away.
The video showing members of Knysna Animal Welfare Society (Kaws) burying animal carcasses has surfaced on Facebook and left animal lovers in a frenzy. But it is mainly the way the carcasses are being handled in the video that is fuelling emotions.
One incensed resident, Leon Kruger, says when he saw the video of Kaws employees disposing of dead dogs at a dumping site where they were “tossed and thrown like rag dolls”, he immediately questioned the organisation’s morals and the way they treat animals in general.
His sentiments reflect those of many other commenters when he says, “These organisations always emphasise how humanely they treat animals when they put them down, but there is nothing humane about this. Would Kaws employees also fling their own animals into a hole like that if their pets passed away?” he wants to know.
Kruger contacted Kaws via Facebook immediately and was just as unimpressed with the organisation's feedback as he was with their treatment of the carcasses.
In a statement sent to both Kruger and Knysna-Plett Herald, the organisation says it does not have to apologise for burying carcasses as it is a sad reality of welfare organisations.
“Almost every animal welfare organisation in the world does it every day,” the statement reads. Kaws says disposing of carcasses is the least pleasant job their inspectors must perform, creating huge stress for them. “It is emotionally draining and hard physical work, but there is no alternative.”
The organisation says each month it is forced to put well over 100 animals to sleep. “In terms of the Constitution of South Africa, Section 56(1)(a), the accommodation, care and burial of animals is listed as a local government matter, therefore Knysna Municipality provides us with burial grounds and we always bury the carcasses accordingly in the designated area.
"We will never bury them in any other area. Once burial has been completed our inspectors always cover the burial site with soil as prescribed.”
A screen grab of the original Facebook post showing the video in question as well as photographs of the graves, or rather hole the animal carcasses were thrown into. Photo: Facebook
Kruger says the problem is not the burial place itself, but the way the animals are handled. “I had huge respect for the work this organisation does, but now I see it differently,” he says.
A query was sent to the municipality regarding their involvement. No answer was received at the time of going to print.
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