Cape Town – The NSPCA has criticised the events that led to the euthanisation of Sheba, the escaped Bengal tigress, saying neither the local SPCA nor the NSPCA was contacted before the decision.
Sheba had escaped from her enclosure in Walkerville, Johannesburg, last Friday.
During her escape she mauled 38-year-old William Mokoena, and was darted and killed after she was found near houses on the Arboretum Farm at Walkers Fruit Farms.
The NSPCA said it would investigate the matter.
“The NSPCA can confirm that in the early hours of this morning, Sheba, the escaped Bengal tigress from Daleside, was shot and killed.
“Authorities attempted to lure her back into her enclosure over the past few days but were unsuccessful.
“It is alleged that Sheba wandered into a dwelling that housed many people. Given that she has attacked people and animals over the past few days, it was decided that it was in the interests of the people’s safety to shoot Sheba.
“Neither the local SPCA nor the NSPCA was contacted when Sheba was sighted and shot.
“This ‘silver lining’ in this very dark cloud is that, at the very least, Sheba will never have to face living her life as a prisoner in a cage again.
“Tigers are not native to South Africa. They are brought here solely for the entertainment and profit of humans, and at the end of the day, it’s always the animal that ends up paying the price.
“Wild animals belong in the wild. The SPCA movement remains opposed to the keeping of wildlife in captivity.”
Cape Times