- South Africa -
The Cape of Good Hope SPCA happily announced that CHRISTOPHER VAN ROOYEN (pictured below), was found guilty on charges of animal cruelty.
The organization wrote in a Facebook post that on Friday, March 5, in Cape Town Magistrates’ Court VAN ROOYEN, also known as “the serial puppy seller”, was found guilty on 10 charges of animal cruelty in terms of the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962.
In court, Cape of Good Hope SPCA inspectors presented evidence for six of the charges against the defendant, said SPCA spokesperson Belinda Abraham.
VAN ROOYEN was found guilty on ten charges of animal cruelty and was sentenced to a fine of R1500 ($98.00) or thirty days imprisonment on each count.
Cape of Good Hope SPCA said this will send a warning to others.
Daily Voice reports that in February 2019, a manhunt was launched for VAN ROOYEN after he had sold a 3-week-old puppy with a raw, amputated paw for R200 ($13.00).
Initially he wanted to sell the furbaby for R600 ($38.00) and told the couple who bought the puppy that the hind paw was injured because he/she was hit by a car.
When this happened, VAN ROOYEN had just been released from jail on animal cruelty charges.
According to the SPCA, VAN ROOYEN took the puppies away from their moms when they were still young and not ready to be weaned yet.
The SPCA believes that VAN ROOYEN “emotionally blackmailed” people into buying vulnerable animals.
VAN ROYEN’s second arrest came after months of surveillance and lobbying by vigilant members of the public and animal rights organizations.
In their Facebook post the Cape of Good Hope SPCA expressed their gratitude also to members of the public who alerted the authorities to VAN ROOYEN’s activities and urged people to stop supporting the trade in puppies.
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