The National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) will be laying criminal charges against the individual seen in a recent viral video pouring an alcoholic beverage, suspected to be beer, down the mouth of a common carp. The individual, publishing as “Lethabo_Sebapo” on TikTok, has been tracked, and contacted, and the compilation of a docket is in its final stages.
In the video, the individual is seen holding the fish in one hand while pouring the beverage into its mouth. He is heard laughing and appears entertained throughout the video.
The individual admitted to the act and stated that his motivation was “fun”.
The publisher, who describes himself on TikTok as “fun,” “entrepreneur,” “CEO,” and “innovative,” will face criminal charges under the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962. Specific charges are in relation to sections 2(1)(a), (n), (q), and (r).
Since the rise of social media platforms like TikTok, the NSPCA has seen an alarming increase in videos depicting animal cruelty. Much of our Inspectors’ time and resources are now taken up by tracking and investigating the sources of such videos.
The NSPCA is heartened by the widespread condemnation of the individual’s actions, which reflects the compassion many South Africans feel for animals – including fish, who are often overlooked in their capacity for sentience and suffering.
We hope this prosecution will serve as a strong deterrent, discouraging individuals not only from publishing acts of animal cruelty as a form of entertainment but also from committing them in the first place.
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