The French woman who was captured on video throwing her Maltese poodle from a balcony of the third floor of OR Tambo International Airport last Friday is reportedly at a health facility at the airport.
According to the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA), the unnamed elderly woman travelled from France to Johannesburg en route to Brazil.
The woman and the dog boarded the plane after she bought a ticket for an extra “passenger”.
At approximately 03:30 on the morning of 8 November 2024, Airport Company South Africa (ACSA) video footage 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.
The dog was severely injured and bleeding from the mouth.
Dog was euthanised
Airport officials immediately contacted the Kempton Park SPCA for assistance.
“SPCA inspectors 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 it was euthanised to end its suffering,” NSPCA chief operations officer Grace de Lange said.
OR Tambo officials halted the flight to Brazil to investigate the incident.
A check of the passenger manifest revealed that the woman was not listed as having boarded the flight.
Senior Inspector Govender from NSPCA was assigned to investigate the incident and is in the process of laying criminal charges against the French national with the local SAPS.
De Lange said they were deeply disturbed when they first heard about the incident involving the dog whose age was yet to be determined.
