Johannesburg - World Animal Protection Wildlife Campaigns Manager Edith Kabesiime says Sheba the tigress’s life has ended prematurely due to human actions that could have been totally avoided.
She said that as part of World Animal Protection, they reiterate that wild animals are not pets and should not be kept as such.
"They have specific needs and behaviours that are difficult to meet in captivity. They are sentient beings and have a right to a wild life," said Kabesiime.
She called upon the Republic of South Africa, through the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and Environment, to reconsider their captive wildlife policies and adopt laws that do not promote animal cruelty and exploitation, especially now when they are reviewing their lion farming policies.
According to World Animal Protection, wild animals kept in captivity experience cruelty, stress and suffering.
"Most are often kept in small cages and may not have access to adequate food or water as they would have in the wild. Hence, they are always on the lookout to escape," said the animal rights group.
An earlier report by The Star said the eight-year-old tigress that escaped from its farm enclosure on Friday and mauled a 38-year-old man, had been shot dead, according to Gresham Mandy of the De Deur Community Policing Forum.
The report further noted that members of the SPCA in Vereeniging and Vanderbijlpark confirmed knowledge of Sheba's death in the early hours of Wednesday. However, the animal welfare group said it was not present when Sheba was shot.
"This case proves why wild animals should not be kept as pets. The SPCA is opposed to the keeping and breeding of wild and exotic animals as pets," said the SPCA.
The Star