Daushund reunited with owners

A NEW Germany family was reunited with their beloved Daschund, Gino, who went missing from their home early last week.

According to his owners, Rosa and Gavin Stanley, they believe their dog escaped from their property on Sander Road in New Germany on Tuesday, 13 January between 2pm and 2.15pm.

Gavin said the dog was picked up by two boys aged between 14 and 15 years old. They roped the dog’s neck and dragged him down Sander Road. Luckily a driver, Gerald Bosch, noticed how the boys were mishandling the dog and stopped to reprimand them. The boys dropped the rope and fled while the dog hid under Bosch’s pick-up van. He coaxed Gino out from under his vehicle and delivered him to the Kloof and Highway SPCA.

“We spent the night knocking on all our neighbours’ doors looking for Gino, and then got hold of Hayley Ellis from the New Germany Neighbourhood Watch. She broadcasted on Facebook and various other social media for people to be on the lookout for Gino. Even security companies were broadcasting messages to help find Gino,” said Gavin.

The next day he called the Kloof and Highway SPCA, and they confirmed receiving a dog with that description. They asked him to come in to identify their pet, which he did, and to his relief it was Gino.

“We are so happy that Gino is back home. He was extremely traumatised when we fetched him on Wednesday, but he is happy now. If it wasn’t for people like Gerald Bosch we would never have found our Gino,” said Gavin.

He thanked all who helped reunite him with his little Daschund. Gavin also urged residents to be on the lookout for youngsters loitering the area, and to contact the nearest neighbourhood watch to inform them of anything suspicious.

Barbara Patrick, Kloof and Highway SPCA manager, said they were grateful to the gentleman who found the lost Daxie and brought him to the SPCA so that he could be reunited with his distraught owner.

She urged pet owners to always make sure that they phone and visit the SPCA to make sure that a lost report is completed, and that they check the kennels for their lost dogs. A recent photograph of the pet also helps.

“If you are concerned that your pet may have been stolen, or that it has disappeared under suspicious circumstances, please also alert the SAPS so that the matter can be investigated further,” said Patrick.

Some tips to prevent incidences of animals being stolen are to microchip your animals, as this is an effective and efficient way of successfully re-uniting animals with their rightful owners as well as proving ownership of an animal. Also ensure that your dogs are secure in your garden, as roaming dogs are easy targets.

Although the Stanleys could not confirm whether their dog was stolen from their property or not, this incident follows several reports of dogs being stolen in the Highway area last year.

Mustang, an American Pitbull, and Baron, a German Shepherd, were allegedly stolen from their homes in New Germany in February and March respectively. Baron and Mustang were both eventually rescued from Clermont and KwaDabeka. Mustang was reportedly bought from a teenage boy.