Dog impaled on New Year’s Day

The boerboel’s owner, Vusani Nesengani had stayed with him throughout New Year’s Eve, keeping the dog calm while fireworks went off outside.

The Crystal Park resident left the house for two hours the following night (January 1), believing the dog, called Rio, would be safe as New Year’s Eve was over.

“As I was driving back, I got a call from my neighbour saying my dog was injured,” he said.

“I later heard The Animal Guardians (Tag) were on scene and they wanted permission to break the gate’s lock.

“You would expect people to be finished with fireworks after the night, but now I was worried about what had happened.”

The next day Nesengani decided the five-year-old dog should be euthanised, as the veterinarian said his quality of life would be very poor if he were kept alive.

The pet was one of 14 which were taken in by Tag on New Year’s Day.

One cat and 12 dogs were taken in as strays and two dogs had reportedly been killed by cars.

“A daxie was hit on Putfontein Road, in Chief Albert Luthuli Park, and a foxie was hit near the corner of Great North Road and Mercury Street,” said Annalise Jungmann, a director of Tag.

Vicky Finnemore, manager of the Benoni SPCA, said the following animals were brought to the society on New Year’s Day and January 2:

· 25 stray dogs

· 20 stray cats

· 15 surrendered dogs

· 16 surrendered cats.

Finnemore said although the number of strays did not deviate much from the same period last year, the number of animals surrendered was unusually high.