DURBAN: A Kloof and Highway SPCA field officer was robbed of his company vehicle at gunpoint, while attending to an emergency call out, in the Tshelimnyama area, in Mariannhill, on Tuesday.
Kloof SPCA manager Barbara Patrick said the field officer had received a call requesting help for a dog that had been hit by a car, on the emergency cell phone, just after 9pm, on Tuesday night.
She said the officer immediately responded and arrived at the property to collect the dog.
“While waiting for the owner of the dog, our field officer saw two men approaching his vehicle. The men held our field officer at gunpoint, while demanding that he unlock the doors of his vehicle. They then got into the vehicle, on either side of the field officer, and drove off,” said Patrick.
Patrick further explained that the men “thankfully” stopped and let the field officer get out of the company vehicle, and allowed him to take a dog and cat with.
“They then drove off, with our vehicle, his cellphone, cash donations, and our equipment. Although we were devastated last night, we were so grateful that our field officer and his animals were unharmed and safe,” she said.
Despite being traumatised by the robbery, she said, the field officer waited for another inspector to fetch him and his animals.
“They went back to our SPCA to treat the cat and dog, before finally going home after 1am on Wednesday morning,”she said.
On Wednesday morning, Patrick said the SPCA received a call from a community member, who had found a canopy and other items, next to a road.
“We immediately went to collect the items and our vehicle canopy, which had been removed,” she said.
The Kloof SPCA issued a plea for donations yesterday, to replace the ambulance, which is used around the clock to help animals in need.
Patrick received good news this morning, that the vehicle had been recovered.
“The vehicle has been recovered and we are waiting for the police to release the vehicle, so we can go and collect it,”she said.
Provincial police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala said a case of carjacking was opened at Mariannhill Police Station for investigation.
THE MERCURY