Trial set for TikTok ‘Bobby’ owner after online backlash

Rescued Bobby with NSCPA inspector. Picture: National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) A viral dance trend may have garnered likes, but for one influencer, it backfired when the camera captured alleged animal cruelty, with a skeletal dog named Bobby seen suffering in the background. The legal battle for justice following the alleged neglect of Bobby has now moved to the trial stage, after the dog’s owner, Elliot Tshigo, appeared in the Boksburg Magistrates’ Court last Wednesday.

Tshigo, who arrived at court wearing a surgical mask, formally indicated his intention to plead not guilty to animal cruelty charges. The magistrate postponed the matter until 18 June, when the trial is expected to start. The case first sparked national outrage when Bobby, nicknamed by online users, appeared in the background of a viral TikTok video.

After receiving hundreds of reports, the NSPCA’s Special Projects Unit tracked the dog down and discovered she had been reduced to eating plastic to survive. Inspectors found her suffering from severe malnourishment, painful flystrike and heavy tick and flea infestations. In a series of dismissive Instagram Story posts, Kgasago distanced herself from the controversy, claiming she did not own the animal.

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“I don’t know if I must laugh or cry, guys. That’s not my dog,” she told her followers. As public outrage grew, she doubled down on her stance, openly mocking the dog’s emaciated condition and laughing at the viral “Justice for Bobby” campaign.

She further deflected blame by insisting she carried no responsibility for the animal’s feeding or care, stating the dog belonged to her neighbour, Tshigo. The National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) spokesperson, Jacques Peacock, said that despite her initial condition and the mocking responses from the influencer involved, Bobby underwent a “transformation that moved a nation” at the Nigel and Boksburg SPCAs.

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