burnt piglet spca

Photo via: Cape of Good Hope SPCA

SPCA finds burnt bodies of piglets trapped in cages during Cape Town fire [pics]

The Cape of Good Hope SPCA found the burnt remains of two piglets locked in cages on the slopes of Table Mountain on Wednesday.

burnt piglet spca

Photo via: Cape of Good Hope SPCA

The Cape of Goodhope SPCA has been combing through areas affected by the Cape Town Fire since Tuesday, 20 April, in the hope of finding animals that could be saved. Unfortunately, inspectors found the charred remains of wildlife that couldn’t escape the blaze.

The worst, however, was yet to come. On Wednesday, a team of SPCA inspectors found the burnt remains of two piglets locked in a cage on the slopes of Table Mountain.

TWO BURNT PIGLET CARCASSES FOUND PADLOCKED IN A CAGE

“While our team were searching through the fire-ravaged areas we were expecting to see some horrific sites, but nothing could have prepared them for this!” said the Cape of Good Hope SPCA in a blog post on its website.

Inspectors found the burnt remains of two small piglets locked in a cage, in the forest, approximately two kilometres from Madiba Circle at the University of Cape Town’s upper campus. The piglets were held in separate cages.

The animal welfare organisation said the grisly discovery was shocking and left inspectors dumbfounded and called it “a complete mystery.”

“What we do know is that these tiny piglets were left out in the open, without shelter, food or water for an undetermined period of time before they died, they were contained in padlocked cages with no way to escape and likely suffered the torture of the blazing fire,” said the SPCA.

Animal lovers expressed their grief in the comment section of the SPCA’s Facebook post.

“This is so unbelievable. How people can do this is beyond comprehension and why?” questioned one user. “I really hope you find the culprits! Poor piglets, the fear they must have felt.”

“Out of all the horrid behaviours of humans, the sweet innocent animals paid the ultimate price,” said another.

Another Facebook user suggested that the piglets could have belonged to an individual that was sleeping rough on the mountain and did not have time to save the animals while running from the blaze, saying, “May well be a tragic accident with no intention of cruelty at all.”

The SPCA responded and said that even if that were the case, the manner in which the piglets were kept was unacceptable.

PICTURES: THE BURNT REMAINS OF THE ANIMALS AND THE CAGES THAT HELD THEM

The images below are disturbing and are not suitable for sensitive readers.

burnt piglet spca
Photo via: Cape of Good Hope SPCA
burnt piglet spca
Photo via: Cape of Good Hope SPCA
burnt piglet spca
Photo via: Cape of Good Hope SPCA

THE SPCA IS INVESTIGATING THE MATTER AND NEEDS THE PUBLIC’S HELP

The SPCA needs the public’s help to bring the individual(s) responsible for this horrific act to book. Anonymous tip offs can be made via phone calls to 083-326-1604 after hours or 021-700-4158/9 during work hours.

Reports can also be made via the SPCA’s “report cruelty link” on its website.

The SPCA is raising funds to assist animals that were injured in the Cape Town fire. It has started a back-a-buddy campaign to purchase cool packs and various items to help any animals that were hurt during the blaze

You can make a donation here.