Half dozen killed in Wierdapark dog poisoning in one night
Six dogs were killed and a further five left fighting for their lives at several homes in a street in Wierdapark, while a motorcycle was stolen from one residence.
Wierdapark residents fear for their safety after five homes were targeted in a dog-poisonings attack.
Early on Saturday morning, March 2, residents of Susan Street in Wierdapark faced a heart-wrenching attack that killed six dogs, and a further five left fighting for their lives from a series of dog poisonings.
One home was also broken into and a motorcycle stolen leaving residents in fear for their safety.
Asmerelda Wangra, who lost a dog, said the experience was excruciatingly painful, as her daughter grieves the loss of their family pet.
“I woke up around 01:00 as my dogs were barking, and then activated the alarms.
When I went to check, I called her [the dog] and she wasn’t responding.
She was having convulsions, so we tried to administer activated charcoal, but it was already too late.”
Wangra told Rekord that when guards from security company Monitor Net arrived, they told her that they had already heard that a neighbour’s dog was also poisoned.
“Right now, I can hardly sleep at night. I react to every sound, we are left in a horrible condition.”
Wierdapark Residents Association (WPRA) chairperson Liza Vorster said just before 02:00 on Saturday, two dogs from the same household were poisoned.
“Soon after, I received another call from another neighbour advising that her dogs were also poisoned.”
By 06:00, more reports started to come in that the neighbours in Susan Street had woken up to their pets poisoned.
“Residents met in the street to share their heartbreaking stories and fear of what had happened while those whose dogs were poisoned were rushing off to the nearest veterinary clinic in attempts to save their animals,” said Vorster.
“It was just devastating to realise that so many dogs were poisoned in one such brutal, cold and heartless attack.”
Out of the 26 homes in the portion of Susan Street, 13 dogs in five homes were attacked.
Shaun Dukhanti said his dogs were like his children.
Fortunately, his three dogs survived the poisoned and are being treated at Bakenkop Animal Clinic, where other dogs in the street were also taken.
“I am very disturbed, I hope that we can get to the bottom of this, or at least raise some awareness,” he said.
Dukhanti said the morning after the attack, he had inspected his yard and found a sausage laced with poison.
Neels and Natasha Meyer, who lost two dogs in the attack, were also robbed.
“This was a horrible experience. We are angry, and heartbroken,” said Natasha.
The Meyers said they had opened a case with the police, while another resident said they were turned away by Wierdabrug police when they went to open a case
Tshwane SAPS spokesperson Johan van Dyk confirmed that the police were aware of the dog-poisonings.
He said a case of malicious damage to property could be opened in dog-poisoning cases.
Despite the incident, the residents of Susan and Eland streets said they would stand together to fight crime in the area and protect their streets.
On Saturday evening, the residents speculated that the criminals hid behind heaps of branches Tshwane had recently cut down but yet to collect.
On Sunday morning, the residents took the branches to the Rooihuiskraal garden refuse site.
“The absolute devastation suffered in our street and the coming together yesterday to help one another was a clear sign of hope for Susan and Eland streets residents,” said WPRA’s Vorster.
“We will stand together to fight this crime and protect our street.”
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