A French woman who allegedly threw her dog over a third-floor balcony at the OR Tambo International Airport in the early hours of Friday morning is at a health facility, police confirmed.
The dog sustained serious injuries, and had to be euthanised.
The National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) said it was both shocked and appalled by this incident, adding that they would not rest until justice was served.
National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed to IOL that the woman has been at a health facility since the incident.
“The police are awaiting advice from medical experts on when they can proceed to take down her statement,” she said.
Mathe said investigations were ongoing. In an earlier statement the NSPCA said a French woman had travelled from France to Johannesburg, on her way to Brazil.
“She boarded the plane with her dog, after purchasing a ticket for the extra ‘passenger’, and arrived in South Africa on Wednesday,” said NSPCA’s chief operations officer Grace de Lange.
“At approximately 3.30am on Friday, video footage from the Airport Company South Africa (Acsa) shows the woman strolling through the Atrium at OR Tambo International Airport, with her small black dog running freely.
“As the dog reaches her, the woman picks the dog up and callously throws it over the balcony railing.”
She said airport officials had contacted the SPCA for assistance.
“Inspectors from the SPCA arrived at the scene and took the suffering dog into their care.
“At a nearby veterinary hospital, it was confirmed that the dog had sustained extensive internal injuries and was euthanised to end its suffering.”
IOL News