Rescuer tracks down stolen George pit bull and reunites her with owner
Acting on a tip-off and helped by local children, a dog rescuer recovered a severely underweight pit bull despite a tense encounter with an alleged thief.
A female pit bull terrier that had been stolen from Rosemoor in George almost a month ago has been safely returned to her owner after Salomé Bruyns of Sentiara traced the dog to Conville.
George Herald reports that the search began when the owner’s Facebook post drew attention to their stolen dog. Bruyns, well known in the area for rescuing dogs from dangerous situations, immediately offered her help.
Meanwhile, the owner was also searching for her dog and opened a case at the Conville Police Station, and Bruyns received a tip-off about the dog’s possible location.
On February 26, Bruyns went out with some Conville police officers to find the dog. “Our first attempt was unsuccessful,” she says.
“The police mentioned they had been searching for the suspect the whole day for another offence. He is well known in the area. I left my number with some children and offered a reward. About 15 minutes later, I received the call I had been praying for.”
Following the tip, Bruyns returned to the area. Children, who said they had seen the dog, took her to where it was hidden.
“They ran into the bushes to fetch her when the man who allegedly stole her suddenly appeared out of nowhere. I stayed calm and did what I had to do to get out of the area as soon as possible,” she says.
The suspect was armed with a knobkierie, and his one hand was bandaged. He was accompanied by a friend with another large pit bull.
Despite the tense situation, the children managed to bring Bruyns the stolen dog, and she could reunite it with its owner.
“I wasn’t afraid of the man with the knobkierie and the bandaged hand. My main concern was his friend with the huge pit bull – they use these poor dogs to attack and mug people.”
Bruyns says the dog was extremely emaciated when she was found, but with proper care and food, she will soon be back to her old self.
“I’m going to keep an eye on her and assist where I can with deworming and sterilisation.”
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Read original story on www.georgeherald.com
