There’s no love lost in the case of Eros the Sphynx cat
THE high court in Pretoria is due to decide this week what is in the best interest of a purebred Sphynx cat called Eros – and either way, trouble is expected.
Alma van Zyl of Pretoria said in papers before court that Eros was the love of her life and in fact beauty personified.
She is set on fighting for her hairless boy, who is more than a pet to her.
But Bernadette Willers, of Ruimsig in Roodepoort, with whom Eros had been staying since the end of 2012, claims it is in Eros’s best interest to remain in her care.
The matter was before court in May last year, but it was postponed indefinitely as the case was not ready to proceed.
Van Zyl’s lawyer, Mariza Oelofse, said yesterday that they were due to be back in court today to get the cat back.
Willers, in return, had submitted a counter-claim for the expenses she incurred over the years for Eros’s maintenance – if the court decides the cat has to go back to Van Zyl.
But both parties are adamant about not giving up Eros. “My client’s position has not changed over the years. She is still as driven as ever to get Eros back, if not more so.
“This is a serious matter and I am working equally hard on this case as on any other case,” Oelofse said
She said people should not joke about this trial, because the law covers everybody and everything.
“Insofar as the law is there for us, we’ll use it.”
She said both parties were well aware of the legal costs incurred in cases before court, but they were willing to take their chances.
Van Zyl, meanwhile, said in her court papers: “I want my little blue-eyed boy – my little lion – back.”
Her problems started in 2012 when she asked Willers to take care of the cat for a while, as he had a panic attack and presented with anxiety problems.
Willers refused to hand the cat back to Van Zyl, arguing that, apart from Eros being happy with her and being well cared for, his mental state was also much better.
But Van Zyl, who has a tattoo of the cat on her body, said she had always been a devoted mother to Eros until he was removed from her care.
Van Zyl is asking the court to instruct the sheriff to fetch the cat and hand it back to her.
Willers’s defence is that Eros had suffered mistreatment and abuse at the hands of Van Zyl and that he was malnourished.
She also said she spent more than R100 000 on rehabilitating Eros, including antidepressants, which she now wanted back.
Both parties have called numerous experts, including animal behaviourists, to testify on their respective behalves.
I want my little blue-eyed boy – my little lion – back