SPCA Chief Inspector Jaco Pieterse has described a series of disturbing animal-cruelty scenes he witnessed while on holiday in Thailand, writing about lizards forced onto tourists, caged songbirds and baby animals sold in markets, reports Cape {town} Etc.
Picture: Cape of Good Hope SPCA
Pieterse recalls a man carrying three lizards and pushing them onto passersby for photo opportunities. At one point, a lizard urinated on a tourist and was dropped. Pieterse reported the incident to the Thai Tourist Police, but the man had already disappeared.
Picture: SPCA / capespca.co.za
In Patong, he came across six tiny cages containing red-whiskered bulbuls hanging from a tree. The birds were panting and visibly distressed after being left in the intense heat. When Pieterse attempted to speak to the seller, he was met with hostility. Locals told him the birds were kept for ‘luck’, but Pieterse says the suffering remains unacceptable regardless of the justification.
Picture: SPCA / capespca.co.za
He also encountered market stalls selling scorpions and insects as snacks, along with a pet stall offering piglets, rabbits and ground squirrels. The baby animals were constantly handled, and several had visible injuries to their noses. According to Pieterse, many tourists view these scenes as ‘cute’, unaware of the cruelty behind them. He further describes seeing elephants chained in cramped enclosures.
Reflecting on his work at home, Pieterse noted: ‘In the past six years, I have worked extremely hard to build good relationships with the various prosecutors in our area (we service 13 Magistrates’ courts) and to do training, etc.’
Picture: SPCA / capespca.co.za
He added: ‘We have even established a small Prosecutions Unit overseeing our prosecution cases, with positive results.’ Recent cases, he says, show how effectively these powers can be used, with the SPCA helping secure convictions that result in jail time and fines for offenders.
Pieterse urges travellers to reject attractions that exploit animals and to consider how they spend their money.
His message is clear: support ethical tourism and report abuse when you see it. Cape of Good Hope SPCA adds that continued public support is vital to funding prosecutions and inspector training.
The piece ultimately offers a series of real-world examples and a simple reminder: animals matter, and the law offers tools to protect them.
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