Dog reunites with Parkhurst owner (70) after disappearing into drain for weeks

Parkhurst resident, Margaret Hammond-Tooke (70) was devastated when her beloved dog recently disappeared down a storm water drain.

Tug fell into a storm water drain on the corner of 5th Avenue and 20th Street in Parkhurst. This while Hammond-Tooke was walking her 14-year-old Jack Russell at Verity Park next to the Braamfontein Spruit river trail when he chased after something.

“All I saw was his tail disappearing down the gap in the curb. I stayed until it grew dark, calling and frantically searching for him, hoping that he would find his own way out and trot home,” Hammond-Tooke recalled.

The following day after Tug’s disappearance, she walked up and down the river calling for him, but there was no sight nor sound.

Hammond-Tooke then contacted her daughter, Kate Boyes who lives in Cape Town. After calling various emergency numbers, including the SPCA and searching the Internet for anyone who knew the Braamfontein Spruit and the storm water system, they contacted Ward 117 councillor, Tim Truluck. He assured them that the drain did not enter the sewer and was able to give them a rough idea of where it ran to.

“It goes underground through Parkhurst alongside the Moth Hall to roughly the Texas Cafe and then up to Rosebank through Parktown North where it gets narrower and more slimy,” explained Truluck.

He added that there is an opening to the river on the Victory Park side in Zander Road, and then the drain runs for about 2km in the other direction.

Hammond-Tooke and her handyman searched the river and the streets for days, rattling her walking stick in each opening as she called out to him. Her handyman even lifted up parts of the pavement. They then put Tug’s teddy bear into the gap where he fell in, in the hope that he would smell it and find his way back.

Over the next few days, her daughter made numerous calls from Cape Town attempting to find out who could help them.

“The Gauteng Water after-hours call centre was very kind and concerned about Tug, but were unable to help. They suggested I wait till after the holiday when the department would reopen,” commented Boyes.

A week later, she made contact with the Randburg Roads Department.

“A person from the department was fantastic. He and his secretary got in his car and personally drove around Parkhurst looking for him. By this stage, we were losing hope that Tug would be found alive,” said Boyes.

“His team cleared some of the drains, lifting the heavy concrete covers and calling down for Tug.

“He said they would flush the system if he didn’t turn up and at least we would get closure if his body appeared.”

And then, 14 days after Tug went missing, Hammond-Tooke got a call from a man who lives along the river. He had found Tug stuck in the drain.

She jumped in her car and was there within five minutes.

“Tug was hardly recognisable, covered in stinky brown slime and so thin that all of his ribs were showing. His paws were raw and bloody. The man was still holding Tug when I arrived and when he put him down he just fell over,” said Hammond-Tooke.

She added that when Tug got home he was wobbling all over the place, but very happy to be back.

“He perked up when he saw his comfy bed and has been sleeping so soundly. He visited the vet at Craighall Animal Hospital and they were amazed that he had survived for 14 days. He has been given some antibiotics for his paws.

“He is tough and is going to be okay.”

He went for his first short walk recently and according to Hammond-Tooke, when they walked to the corner by the park and Tug saw the drain, he stopped dead and refused to go further.

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