Cape Town - Cape Town’s Mayco Member for Urban Mobility Rob Quintas was involved in a tussle when he tried to calm an escalating situation as the SPCA removed a puppy from a repeat offender that uses animals while begging for money.
On the busy intersection of Walter Sisulu Avenue and Buitengracht Street - adjacent to the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) - the rescue of a puppy from a repeat offender turned to blows on Sunday, the Cape of Good Hope SPCA revealed on Tuesday.
The animal welfare organisation was required to investigate after receiving a number of complaints about Selwyn Taylor’s activities with animals. Taylor frequents the busy intersection at the CTICC and has had his dog removed by the SPCA on a previous occasion.
In December last year, the amended animal-keeping by-law prohibited begging with animals.
Cape SPCA Chief Inspector Jaco Pieterse, who led the investigation, attempted to remove the puppy from Taylor, and was accompanied by Quintas.
It sparked an aggravated physical response from Taylor directed at Pieterse, resulting in Quintas getting involved in a bid to calm the situation.
Taylor then assaulted Quintas as the tussle ensued, with the puppy being caught in the middle. City Traffic Service officers who were passing by intervened, restrained and arrested Taylor.
“It was a surreal experience, having left the house in the hope of rescuing other animals, and then finding myself in between a scuffle, and being assaulted by a repeat offender who uses puppies as begging props,” Quintas was quoted as saying.
“I was not prepared under any circumstance to let the puppy go, and have no remorse for having received a few punches and elbow blows in the process,” he added.
Taylor was charged with common assault, contravening the animal-keeping by-law and obstruction of Section 8(4) of the Animal Protection Act. He remained in custody for two nights and appeared before the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday morning.
The puppy, that was later named Walter, is in good health and is up for adoption at the Cape SPCA.
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