SPCA wants apology from 'meme maker' over viral cat 'threat' pic

The Cape of Good Hope SPCA is threatening legal action against an alleged animal cruelty suspect seen threatening a cat with a knife in an image that has gone viral. 

“The Cape of Good Hope SPCA is investigating a case of animal cruelty and possible contraventions of the Animals Protection Act involving a Facebook post in which a cat is held tightly/strangled by the neck and threatened with a knife,” it said.

The organisation said the image was shared by a Jayden Faans and urged anyone with information on the user's whereabouts to come forward.

After the complaint, Faans apologised for the image, saying it was a “stupid joke”.

“Hi friends, family, and animal lovers. As you can see the cat is not hurt, perfectly fine and healthy. The picture I took on June 20 was for a meme. I understand it was a stupid joke. From the bottom of my heart, I apologise to every person out there whom I deeply offended. I hope you understand.”

Attempts to contact Faans for additional comment were unsuccessful at the time of publishing this article. Any update will be included once received.

Speaking to TimeLIVE, Cape of Good Hope SPCA spokesperson Belinda Abraham said the organisation had not seen Faans' apology and he should contact the SPCA to resolve the matter. 

“Faans will have to come to the SPCA to resolve the case before the matter is sent to the magistrate’s court for animal cruelty. He will also need to be educated that harming animals for memes is unacceptable.”

In 2018, a Buccleuch dog owner, Buzwe Yafele, was found guilty of animal cruelty in the Randburg magistrate's court and sentenced to a R10,000 fine or five months' imprisonment, of which R8,000 was suspended for five years.

The case was pursued by the Sandton SPCA, which confiscated the three dogs. 

The SPCA said cruelty to animals is the deliberate and malicious infliction of physical or mental harm resulting in suffering, which could be fear, pain, discomfort, disease, injury or behavioural distress. 

Cruelty to animals includes: 

• not providing clean water and sufficient nutritious food;
• abandoning an animal;
• leaving an animal to suffer if it is sick or hurt;
• leaving an animal in a vehicle, especially in hot weather;
• using firecrackers near animals;
• hitting or kicking an animal;
• keeping an animal in dirty and unhealthy conditions;
• dogfighting and cockfighting;
• overloading cart horses and donkeys;
• poor handling and transportation of farm animals; and
• chaining dogs.

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