Abused dog found dumped in black bag

A woman taking her son and their dog to Jukskei Park on 7 July, made a gruesome discovery of a severely injured dog dumped in a black bag on the banks of the Klein Jukskei River.

“At around 11am, I took my son for a ride on his bike at the park. We live opposite the park and at the last minute, I decided to take my Swiss shepherd dog along,” explains Nicola Heystek, who made the discovery.

She undid her dog’s leash so he could run freely along with her son, but the dog ran to the riverbanks after picking up an odd scent and alerted Heystek that he’d found something.

“I walked over to take a look, which I normally wouldn’t have done at all,” she continues, but her interest had clearly been peaked at that stage. “I saw the tail and legs of a dog sticking out from a rubbish bag and immediately felt sad that someone would just dump a deceased pet in such a fashion.”

She stood there staring in bewilderment at the presumably dead dog wrapped in plastic, when she caught sight of movement in the bag. “It took me a few more seconds to realise that it was the movement of breathing.”

She proceeded down the embankment and heard the dog snorting. “I immediately tore the bag open and the worst stench of rotting blood wafted up from the bag.”

Heystek saw the dog had severe injuries on his face and the decaying flesh and old blood were obviously rotting in the bag. “He was skin and bone… honestly… so badly emaciated… and most of his upper lip torn off.”

She immediately phoned Randburg SPCA, who was there within minutes. Sadly, the animal had to be euthanised.

“I truly hope that the disgrace of a human being that dumped this dog like a bag of rubbish in the middle of the night, knows that this inhuman act has not gone by unnoticed,” she concludes. “This was a living, breathing soul that did not deserve such an ending.”

Heystek asked that when people go for walks at the river to be vigilant and to look out for any abandoned or dumped animals in future.

Inspector Debbie Kegel of Randburg SPCA was appalled by what Heystek had found. “There was a massive hole in her ear which was severely infected with maggots crawling all over, the upper lip was torn away causing its face to be infected and swollen,” explained Kegel. “This has to be one of the worst cases of abuse and cruelty I have seen. This animal could have been helped if the owner had brought this dog to the SPCA when the injuries happened.”

Kegel urges anyone who saw anything suspicious on or about 7 July in the park area in Robyn Street opposite Chroom Street, to please contact her at the Randburg SPCA.

Details: Randburg SPCA 011 462 1610