‘It was the worst day of my life’
Pooch lucky to escape serious injury after swallowing baited hook.
A DURBAN North couple have described the worst day in their life, after their dog almost died after swallowing a discarded baited fish hook. Wayne Kerr and Jane Stott were walking their dogs, Lizzie and Max, on Vetchies Beach when both of pooches picked up a line with two hooks covered in fish bait. While Stott managed to get one of the hooks out in time, she was not so lucky with Lizzie.
The incident has highlighted the effect and impact of fishing line on pets and wildlife on Durban’s beaches. Discarded fishing line is listed number 8 in the top 10 pollutants on beaches and river systems and is the most problematic of pollutants.
Careless fishermen need to take responsibility
“I managed to get the one out but while I was doing that my baby girl had those few extra seconds to continue chewing and swallowing. I started panicking because they are my children. Two selfless and kind strangers helped me try and remove the hook. I tried to keep Lizzie calm as they tried to remove it. Eventually, they drove with me to the emergency vet. I tried to keep her calm but the hook had lodged in her throat.
“The prognosis at the vet was not looking good and said if she had swallowed the hook, she could have removed it from her stomach, but the hook was lodged in a very risky place for surgery. Thanks to the vets at Sherwood, they were finally able to remove it without going the surgical route. Karma was on our side but it was a close call. It was the worst day of my life,” she said.
Stott added she has often seen fishing line and hooks carelessly discarded on the beach.
“They have the potential to maim, injure and kill a wide range of wildlife and I’m thankful that Lizzie was okay. I feel more awareness needs to be created to prevent someone else’s pet or child going through something similar or worse. My hope is that this story will make careless fishermen take responsibility and see the consequences of their actions,” she said.
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