SPCA puts brakes on pony-drawn cart hauling car with four passengers

A small, weary pony struggling to haul a cart carrying a car with four people seated inside.

That was the sight, driving down Voortrekker Road in Kensington, Cape Town last week, that spurred Cape of Good Hope SPCA inspector Ayanda Ngcofe into action, instructing the occupants to pull over so the pony could be detached and inspected.

“It was immediately clear the pony was lame and in distress,” said the SPCA.

“Concerned for its welfare, Ngcofe contacted the office for a horsebox to transport the pony to the SPCA’s horse care unit. Two of the men riding in the cart fled, pushing the vehicle down the road. Law enforcement officers quickly apprehended them, and the cart with its weighty load was confiscated as evidence for a criminal case.”

The Citroën C3's wheels and engine had been removed.

An equine specialist veterinarian examined the pony and confirmed it had been subjected to extreme cruelty and was physically incapable of pulling such a load. 

“Shockingly, the cart and vehicle weighed a staggering 990kg (without the four occupants) — almost triple the pony’s own weight of just 360kg. Forcing the pony to pull such a load wasn’t just cruel it was inhumane and illegal,” said the SPCA.  

Animal cruelty cases have been opened against the four occupants of the cart. The SPCA added the owner of the pony rented out several horses for working purposes.

“This is the third carthorse our team has confiscated in the past two months due to cruelty. The SPCA has approached the City of Cape Town, urging stricter enforcement of the animal keeping bylaw which governs working animals in the city,” said the SPCA. 

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