At a glance
- Location
- Pretoria, South Africa
- Story type
- Animal welfare investigation
- Sources reviewed
- 3
South Africa's NSPCA has asked police for an urgent meeting after inspectors recorded animal welfare concerns at the Roodeplaat police veterinary hospital, according to a September 11 report by Pretoria newspaper Rekord.
The inspection follows the death of former police dog Sky. She was euthanized on September 9 after suffering serious injuries while housed at the facility, Rekord and Smile FM reported.
Rekord says the NSPCA plans further unannounced inspections and wants clarification about aspects of Sky's treatment history. Buddylio hasn't independently examined the inspection or veterinary records.
Why Sky was at Roodeplaat
Police said Sky was no longer operational and was staying at the veterinary facility while arrangements were made for a new owner, according to Smile FM. That placement process hadn't finished when she was injured.
Earlier, police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe told Eyewitness News that an investigation would examine her accommodation, supervision and care procedures.
Police committee chair Ian Cameron has alleged that warnings about her welfare were ignored. His allegations remain separate from the inspection concerns reported by Rekord. The sources reviewed don't establish who was responsible for Sky's injuries.
Sources
- Rekord: September 11 inspection follow up ›
- Smile FM: September 9 death report and police explanation ›
- Eyewitness News: September 9 investigation report ›
On the sourcing: Buddylio compared the inspection follow up with earlier reporting of the police response. We haven't inspected the underlying veterinary certificate, inspection file or postmortem results. Cameron's account is attributed, not presented as a finding of guilt.
How we reported this: Buddylio reviewed the named sources, checked the organizations and figures shown above, and added context for animal lovers. Any illustration is labeled and does not depict the actual animals or scene. Sources checked September 13, 2026. The latest report reviewed was published September 11; the exact inspection date wasn't established. Articles are editorial content, not veterinary advice.