Johannesburg - The poisoning of a pet must be reported to help police and animal rights groups track criminals who have taken to using poison to kill watchdogs.
At the moment, this crime is not adequately reported and it is therefore not possible to see how common or widespread the problem is. This is according to the National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA).
A Florida Lake resident, Fahieka Samsoodien, said her son had found their dog lying in their yard one morning three weeks ago.
The boerboel, Juggy, was still breathing, but was extremely ill.
“By the time we took him to the vet, it was too late,” said Samsoodien, who said the dog had been poisoned during the night.
The family believed the poison had been hidden in mince, because they found some of the meat stuck to their gate when they returned home. “We’re living in fear now,” said Samsoodien. She said police had told her that 18 dogs had been targeted that night.
“The number of animals poisoned with illegally obtained poisons in South Africa has increased steadily in recent years,” reads a report compiled by the NSPCA in March.
“We have worked with the police and it needs to be reported to get reliable statistics,” said the NSPCA’s Chris Kuch.
Kuch also stressed that although there are reports of burglars poisoning dogs, a large number of these attacks are committed by vengeful or angry neighbours.
The best way to combat the problem is to bring animals inside at night, as this is the most common time for poisonings, she said.
The NSPCA report stated that the most common ingredient being misused for malicious poisonings is aldicarb.
This is an active substance in pesticides, and one of the products it is found in, temic, is also known as “two-step” because that is how many steps the animal takes before it dies.
Although these substances are controlled through legal restrictions for distribution and sale, they can be found on the black market.
“Heroin is banned, but people still manage to get hold of it,” said Kuch.
Beagle Watch, a security company based in the north of Joburg, suggests that if you suspect your dog has been poisoned, take it to the nearest vet as quickly as possible.
Its website also says you should be especially vigilant in the days after the poisoning because this is when most robberies occur.
Regular checks of your garden for foreign objects such as packets are also advised.
The Star