Thieves target Animal Anti-Cruelty League clinic in Cleary Park
The Animal Anti-Cruelty League clinic in Cleary Park is calling for help after being hit three times in 10 days by thieves and vandals.
The triple assault has left the league in despair, out of pocket and short of important equipment needed to run the clinic, conduct inspections and respond to distress calls.
AACL spokesperson Karien van Schalkwyk said the first incidents had happened in quick succession.
“On the night of May 10, they got into the property and stripped electric cabling for our CCTV and the motor of our rainwater tank off the outside of the clinic building.
“We had to pay for an electrician to come and repair and replace the cables.
“The next night they broke the lock of the yard gate and got into our garages by breaking those locks and denting the steel doors in the process.
“Once inside, they broke into a separate locked office and stole two tool boxes worth R8,000 each which had been donated to us by Snap-On.
“During that second breakin, the thieves also stole a R2,000 Skil saw.”
She said the assailants struck again on Saturday.
“Again they broke off all our water pipes and this time they stole the motor of our main rainwater tank.
“Besides losing the motor we lost all the water in the tank because it ran out.
“The also stole electric cables — the same ones the electrician replaced after the first incident — so we will have to get the electrician out again.”
She said the break-ins seemed to be a combination of theft and vandalism.
“Obviously a whole lot of things have been stolen, but water pipes for instance have just been broken and left there.”
She said cases had been opened and CCTV footage of an intruder handed over to the SAPS.
“The total cost of the theft and damages over the three nights amounts to at least R27,000.”
Van Schalkwyk said the incidents were especially frustrating and hurtful because the organisation provided an invaluable service to poor communities.
She said the organisation received no funding from the provincial government or the metro, and was purely dependent on donations from the public.
“Right now we most of all need to improve the security system at the clinic.
“We need additional cameras and beams in the yard, so if anyone can help with that it would be greatly appreciated.
“We also need funds for petrol as our inspectors drive thousands of kilometres a month and our fuel bill is sky high.
“Last, our clinic also needs a good layer of paint inside if anyone wants to contribute towards that.”