Earlier today, the driver of a truck carrying approximately 10,800 chickens lost control of the vehicle, which subsequently overturned. The accident occurred in Brooklyn, Pretoria. The truck was enroute from Delmas and was travelling to Hartbeespoort to deliver the chickens to Sovereign abattoir when the accident occurred. The NSPCA took immediate action to assist Tshwane SPCA with the injured chickens and dispatched nine Inspectors to the scene. Fortunately, there were no human fatalities.
With the help of Midrand SPCA, NSPCA and Tshwane SPCA Inspectors and staff spent several hours surveying the scene and assessing all birds to ascertain which had sustained injuries and required immediate intervention from the teams on site. Regrettably, the majority of the chickens succumbed to their injuries and did not survive. Over several hours, Inspectors and SPCA staff from all three teams worked tirelessly to assist the surviving chickens as swiftly as possible. Due to the severity of their injuries, over 1,000 chickens had to be humanely euthanised on-site to end their suffering.
The remaining 2,400 chickens were carefully loaded onto a new truck and transported to the abattoir. The SPCA ensured that the newly loaded truck was followed from the scene of the accident to the abattoir, ensuring that they were treated with the priority slaughter required to end their unnecessary distress.
We are deeply saddened by this tragic accident, and with the loss of life and suffering that occurred as a result of negligence. Once again, we emphasise the importance of stringent safety measures for the transportation of live animals. It is critical that we remain vigilant of the conditions in which animals are transported and continue to advocate for improved conditions.
We’d like to thank staff of the Tshwane SPCA for their compassion and dedication while dealing with this tragic accident, and we extend our heartfelt gratitude to the team from Midrand SPCA for jumping into action to assist in this operation. Finally, we would like to thank the public for their patience and cooperation as the teams managed the scene of the accident.
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