A COIL of barbed wire fencing has left dog owner and uMhlanga resident, Dan Plen concerned after his dog, Troy was injured during a walk on the beach recently.
“My dog was so ripped up by the razor wire that blood was pouring out of him and he could have easily cut an artery or a tendon and died,” said Plen.
The resident was walking on the beach near Eastmoore Crescent Parking lot, when his dog ran ahead of him, straight into the section of barbed wire.
What would have been a routine walk, turned into an emergency trip to a local veterinarian.
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“I rushed Troy to the vet and he received immediate care, he was sedated and had to have all his wounds cleaned and stitched back together, given a course of antibiotics, pain killers and anti-inflammatories,” said the dog owner.
Dudley Horn of Park2Park said while they manage the precinct, they do not have any enforcement.
“I am very sorry to hear that a pet was injured. I have had some feedback from our beach cleaners and I am pleased to report that the wire has been removed and safely disposed of. It has been reported that the wire was not new and appears to have been removed from a security fence from a nearby complex. We will send an appeal to all residents to be aware and not place any obstacles in the dune or beach area. It’s common sense that you can’t put razor wire in a public area,” he added.
Plen said he often visits the area to walk his dogs.
“Nothing like this has never happened before, besides the constant danger of discarded fishing hooks and bait. I would really like all complexes and residents who own beachfront property or use the beach to be more responsible and considerate of the public, who use it to relax and enjoy themselves, by removing any dangerous and unnecessary features,” he said.
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EThekwini Municipality’s spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said the City would investigate the matter.
“If found to be illegally erected, the owner will face a fine,” he said.
Mayisela added that walking a dog without a leash on a beach is prohibited.
“This is deemed as a chargeable offence. Transgressors will be fined up to R300. All our beaches, where dogs are prohibited, have the appropriate signage,” he said.
“Dogs are prohibited at beaches where there are ‘No Dog’ signs. This is per the eThekwini Municipality Beach bylaws and Section 12 of the seashore regulation,” he added.
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