GRAPHIC CONTENT: Marriage gone to the dogs

Sean Bradley got the shock of his life when family members contacted him on 10 July, saying his dog Luka, a 14-year-old Italian greyhound, had been viciously attacked at his home on Camelia Street in Morningside by three Rottweilers.

The Rottweilers had been roaming the neighborhood after Bulelwa Booi, the wife of the dogs’ owner, Vuyo, had left the gate of their home open on Marico Avenue.

“My brother Gavin Bradley heard a commotion at our front gate and heard my dog Luka screaming,” said Sean who was still shaken by the incident.

“A Rottweiler had got hold of his head through the gate and was mauling him. My brother kicked the one dog through the gate bars, but it was too late, Luka had half the facial skin on his right side totally ripped off.

“My parents found a large piece of Luka’s skin on the paving. My brother rushed him to Bryanston Veterinary Hospital. Dr Greg Irvine-Smith, a specialist surgeon, was called out due to the seriousness of Luka’s facial injuries.”

Inspector Obed Mohlala of Sandton SPCA was called by CSS Tactical and collected the three Rottweilers on the same day and took them to the SPCA in Marlboro.

“On Sunday [10 July] I came home around 10am and noticed that my dogs weren’t waiting for me at the gate as usual,” said Vuyo.

“My eldest daughter went looking for the dogs and returned with the news that they were at the SPCA. When I confronted my wife about the issue she didn’t seem to be fazed.”

He added that he was very close to his dogs and shared his bedroom with them. “I sleep with my dogs, and I make sure that they are indoors when my wife goes jogging. This is not the first time she has acted neglectfully towards my dogs; we used to own a boerboel that she ran over with her car and it had to be put down. It has been a big issue in our relationship and we are in the process of getting a divorce.”

Vuyo had been in contact with Sean and visited Luka at the veterinary Clinic on 15 July.

Bulelwa also met with Bradley at the Bryanston vet. “She said virtually nothing… Showed little expression,” said Bradley.

“I asked her if she wants to meet Luka. She met him briefly and all she said was ‘my goodness’ when she saw him. She left with her driver… No indications of the costs, or his well-being.”

Irvine-Smith spoke about the operation on the injured dog. “Luka was presented to us on 10 July with very extensive skin wounds to the entire right side of the head and face,” said Irvine-Smith.

“This large skin wound was due to bite wounds and the skin was missing. The wounds were cleaned and bandaged. The following day two extensive skin flaps were used to close the wounds.”

Irvine-Smith added that the risk with extensive skin flaps was that some or all of the skin may not survive. “Luka is doing very well and 85 percent of the skin flaps have taken. Luka will require one further minor surgery to close the remaining wound. I am very happy with his progress and expect a full recovery.”

Bradley said he would like this to be a lesson to all dog owners. “As dog owners, we have a responsibility to keep our dogs safe and secure,” he said.

“What happened to my dog could have easily happened to a small child.”

After several attempts, Bulelwa could not be reached for comment.