By LUCY BUCKLAND

No mercy: Warrior, as he has now been named by rescue workers, was found buried five feet under the ground, covered in dirt

Traumatised and just minutes from death, a disabled stray was rescued after allegedly being buried alive by school caretakers.
Police think the unwanted pet had annoyed the men by barking and they callously vowed to bury him alive in the school playing field as punishment.

Horrified witnesses spotted the disabled stray, now named Warrior after his ordeal, yelping for mercy as he was buried in the Cape Town township of Khayelitsh.


Stray: Police said the caretakers buried the unwanted pet after his barking got in their nerves

They called animal welfare officers who managed to get the school before Warrior suffocated in his makeshift grave.
Two men, who are caretakers at the Luhlaza Secondary School, were arrested by police who confirmed they had been charged with animal cruelty.
Rescuers said the desperate animal was close to death when officials arrived later to dig it out.
Shocking pictures of the rescue show it gasping for air as it was pulled out from the sand.


Haunted: Warrior, just after being rescued, is making a slow and steady recovery

Experts said the animal was disabled, although it is believed that it could have been injured during a previous road traffic accident.
Officials said they believed the suspects buried the dog on the orders of a senior caretaker who had become tired of it hanging around the state-run school.
Cape Town's provincial government last night launched an investigation into the incident.
Department of education spokeswoman Bronagh Casey said: 'We are horrified by this incident and our district office is investigating.'


Lucky: Rescue workers had to dig for five feet below ground in cape Town to find the stray dog, luckily the stray was still alive when he was found


source: dailymail