A team of 12 Cape of Good Hope SPCA inspectors committed to ending dog fighting will take on the Sanlam Cape Town Virtual Marathon at the weekend.
Cape Town – A team of 12 Cape of Good Hope SPCA inspectors committed to ending dog fighting will take on the Sanlam Cape Town Virtual Marathon this weekend.
The team will take to the Sea Point promenade on Sunday in a bid to raise awareness and funds for their fight against the illegal and cruel act.
Africa’s only IAAF Gold-label status marathon usually attracts 20 000 athletes from over 60 countries annually, however, in light of the Covid-19 outbreak and restrictions on the number of participants in gatherings, event organisers have created a virtual event.
While a few invited elite runners will be taking on the marathon in four cities in South Africa, this year’s race will also use a virtual app to link thousands of runners who will be taking on the marathon from across the world.
The SPCA team said they witnessed first-hand the devastation caused by dog fighting and often had to brave dangerous environments to rescue the animals and later give them a voice in a court of law.
Head of the inspectorate unit, Chief Inspector Jaco Pieterse, said he hated the ever-growing criminal activity because the breeding, training and fighting was violent.
“People take advantage of a dog’s best qualities. Their unconditional love and loyalty, so that they will endure pain, fear, ripped flesh, blood loss, broken bones and even death, all to please their owners.
’’Most fighting dogs rescued by our SPCA have known nothing but abuse and neglect.”
Pieterse said many dogs had spent their entire lives alone in a cage or tethered to a heavy chain, only knowing the attention of a human when taken out for training, or to a fight.
“My team’s race is in honour of every dog being forced to fight, those we have rescued and the many out there waiting for us to rescue them.
“Research has shown that people who are cruel and abusive towards animals invariably treat people, especially women and children, the same way. It is for this reason that the fight against dogfighting is also the very fight for humanity,” said Pieterse.
The team has already raised R100 548 towards their campaign.
For more information or to donate, visit: https://capespca.co.za/events/ sanlam-cape-town-virtual-marathon/
Cape Times