But, recently, the metro has told the resident of Dehli Court, in Actonville, to remove the two poodles from the flat or face consequences.
Zaitoon said this is the most painful thing she has ever been asked to do in her life, after bonding with the dogs for so long.
“I call them my babies, they are like my own children and I just can’t throw them away like that,” said the tearful Zaitoon.
She said that she had never had any complaints from her neighbours.
“My dogs, Blackie and Lady, live in the flat; they don’t go outside or run around or mess the up the place,” she said.
Most of the time she is alone in the flat and the dogs keep her company.
Zaitoon said she would eventually give the animals away, but pleaded for a chance to at least say goodbye.
The Ekurhuleni Human Settlements Department sent her a notice telling her to remove the two dogs she is harbouring in her flat and that failure to do so will lead to further action.
The City Times asked the metro why they are telling Zaitoon to get rid of the dogs now, after she has been living with them for 10 years, and when they become aware that she is harbouring the dogs in her flat?
Metro spokesman Themba Radebe said they were made aware by other tenants at the complex, primarily as a result of the disturbances caused by the dogs.
“We would like to the state that currently there are no caretakers at these complexes and, as such, it was impossible to establish that dogs are kept in the unit,” he added.
“However, in terms of the lease agreements and complex rules, no pets are allowed to be kept in the units and/or complex.”
Radebe said that all tenants harbouring pets in their units have been requested verbally and in writing to remove them, and many had adhered to the request of the municipality.
