The young pit bull puppy Athena was hit so hard with an iron pole that her left eye burst open and she died a gruesome death.
But what made the death even more horrifying was that the senseless beating o Athena took place in front of children, aged 13, 12, 11, five and four.
And then the unknown assailant just got back into his car and drove away without a care in the world.
Ashleigh Mancer, a Primrose resident and owner of the six-month-old puppy is beside herself with grief.
The tragedy unfolded recently when Ashleigh’s niece and her friend were out walking Athena and the friend’s dog.
“They were walking towards my house in Belhambra Road when Athena, being a puppy, managed to squeeze herself through the bars of a gate and got stuck,” said Ashleigh.
“So the children, being young, never thought about the consequences of the other dog freely roaming the streets and let it go so they could help to free Athena from the bars.
“As soon as she was free, she gave chase after the other dog.
“Eventually the dogs ended up in a fight in Oak Avenue and residents came out to assist the children.
“Then, in the middle of all the commotion, a coloured man pulled up in a white bakkie.
“He got out of his car, got a pole from his vehicle (which seemed like a pole from a jack or something similar), walked up to the dogs and people and hit Athena with two fatal blows to the head.
“The first blow burst her left eye open to the point where it was bleeding.
“And the second blow must have finished her.”
Ashleigh added that the children and other residents were all screaming at the man to stop, but he didn’t.
“Once he realised he had killed Athena, he got into his car and sped off.
“Athena was left on the pavement while bystanders tried to help her.
“But it was too late.
“She was bleeding from her burst eye and out of her nose and mouth from the blows to her head,” a distraught Ashleigh said.
Ashleigh wants to open a case of animal cruelty against the man, but has no idea how to trace him.
“Nobody knows the identity of this man or his whereabouts,” she said.
“I am asking the community to come forward with any information they may have regarding the identity or whereabouts of him, so that I can lay a charge against him.
“It is believed he lives in the neighbourhood.”
Ashleigh added that Athena was very loving and adored children.
“The children are all traumatised by what happened and I believe that this man should be jailed for what he has done,” she said.
“It is absolutely disgusting that someone could have no heart and do something like this.”
If you have any information about the man, contact the GCN on 011 822-1792 and we will forward your details to Ashleigh.
Other articles relating to animal cruelty:
Warning: Graphic image: Dog euthanased after being severely beaten
