The NSPCA has consulted with an estate in Broederstroom after two monkeys were found shot in the estate.
“A paralysed young female monkey was brought to me by security guards the end of March after she was found in the estate. Then two weeks ago security contacted me again when they found a baby monkey lying in front of a house,” said Glenda Maguire, a Pecanwood Estate residents who has been active in rescuing water birds trapped in fishing line and other debris in the Hartbeespoort Dam.
The female monkey was paralysed after being shot in the spine. She had two new and two old pellet gun injuries and unfortunately she had to be euthanised because of the severity of her injuries. “The very small male baby monkey was shot in the base of the skull and was completely incapacitated. He was transported to Bryanston Avian and Exotic Small Animal Clinic (BAESAC) and was operated on immediately. His prognosis is guarded but they are hopeful he will be ok,” she said.
Hannes Hendriks of the Pecanwood Golf Estate said they had consulted with with the NSPCA. “We don’t know who shot the monkeys. They could have been shot elsewhere before coming into the estate. “We have strict regulations about no shooting on the estate,” he said.
The firing of a pellet gun in a suburban is illegal and shooting an animal with a pellet gun is in violation of the Animals Protection. In terms of Section 2(1)(s) of the Animal Protection Act of 1962, any person who kills an animal with a pellet gun is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine or imprisonment.