Charges over goat cruelty

The National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) has laid charges against four mohair farmers following a controversial video highlighting abuse on farms in the Eastern and Western Cape.

The four-minute video – by the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals – was released in May‚ leading to a ban on mohair by top clothing brands such as H&M‚ Zara‚ Gap and Topshop.

The NSPCA said the footage revealed goats being dragged by their horns and legs‚ a man kneeling on a goat’s neck and goats being lifted by their tails and thrown across the floor.

Shearers can be seen inflicting wounds on goats and crudely stitching them up on the shearing floor‚ without any pain relief or anaesthesia.

The footage also shows a goat being slaughtered by a man who saws into the animal’s neck with a short knife without pre-stunning it.

VIDEO MAY BE SENSITIVE TO VIEWERS!!!

“The graphic footage that we received was shocking.

“The agony and distress that these animals endured was both horrendous and unacceptable.

“The NSPCA will relentlessly pursue justice for the animals that have suffered so tremendously‚” senior inspector Grace de Lange‚ the manager of the NSPCA Farm Animal Protection Unit, said.

The NSPCA said it was against farming practices that cause suffering or distress to animals‚ “and will continue to inspect these farms and intervene when necessary”.

In May‚ the SA Mohair Industry said it was shocked by the footage‚ but disputed some of the claims.