After three years, the case of the Metro policeman, Bonginkosi Dlamini, who ran over his dog has been finalised. He was fined R1 000. This was the case where he had run over the dog and gone off to work, leaving a neighbour to deal with the injured animal. The dog’s eyes were hanging out. This terrible picture made the newspapers, thank goodness. Thank goodness, because only shock seems to move many people to care. The media are often reluctant to publish the consequences of man’s inhumanity to animals owing to what they see as the public’s ‘sensibilities’. Strangely enough, there is often no equivalent sensitivity on the issue of publishing horror pictures involving human beings.

If people cannot face up to unpleasant realities in their society, nothing changes. Self-protective ignorance is not bliss; it is selfish, and it contributes towards nothing being done to right wrongs. This is why we publish some of the (more acceptable) pictures of abused animals. There are many worse ones which we choose not to show, because our intention is not to horrify, but to awaken people to realities. ... more reports »