SPCA saves pony from dangerous overload in Kensington
SPCA inspectors seized a pony in Kensington after it was found pulling a scrap-laden cart weighing more than three times its body weight. The animal is now receiving care at the Cape of Good Hope SPCA.
Image: Supplied
A small pony was seized by inspectors from the Cape of Good Hope SPCA after it was found pulling a cart loaded with a vehicle shell and heavy scrap metal in Kensington — a load estimated to be more than three times the animal’s body weight.
The incident occurred on January 22, while SPCA Inspector Julian Van Der Zandt was on standby with the City of Cape Town’s Law Enforcement Animal Control Unit ahead of the execution of an unrelated warrant in the area.
While waiting for additional officers, the team noticed the pony struggling to pull the heavily laden cart through the street and intervened immediately.
“The load this pony was forced to pull posed an immediate and serious risk to its life,” said Van Der Zandt. “No animal should ever be made to haul that kind of weight, especially in an urban environment.”
Inspectors found the pony to be slightly underweight, but said the most serious concern was the extreme overloading.
Animal welfare standards stipulate that a working horse or pony may not pull more than less than double its own body weight. In this case, the load exceeded three times the pony’s mass, placing severe strain on its muscles, joints, heart and lungs.
The SPCA said the conditions constituted a clear contravention of the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962, as well as the SABS SANS Code for Animal-Drawn Carts, which exists to protect working equines from overloading, neglect and poor equipment.
Further compounding the cruelty, inspectors found the pony’s hooves to be in an extremely poor condition, indicating prolonged neglect and a lack of routine farriery.
“Hoof neglect is incredibly painful and can lead to permanent damage,” Van Der Zandt said. “In working animals, it often means ongoing suffering with every step.”
Given the severity of the situation, the pony was immediately seized and transported to the SPCA’s Horse Care Unit, where it is undergoing veterinary assessment and receiving proper nutrition and corrective hoof care.
The SPCA said cart horses and ponies remain among the most vulnerable animals in urban areas, frequently subjected to excessive loads, long hours and inadequate care.
The organisation urged members of the public to report any horse or pony that appears overloaded, injured or in distress, warning that early intervention can prevent serious suffering and death.
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