Search continues for Amanzimtoti bird pellet gun shooter

THE pellet gun shooter who has taken aim at garden birds in the vicinity of Old Main Road and Acutt road in Amanzimtoti has caused a stir, and despite going to ground, there are still ongoing efforts to locate and hold the culprit accountable.

Read the original article: Distraught Amanzimtoti bird rescuer speaks out about horrific Zulweni Gardens shootings  

The Sun apologises for the error in the initial article, indicating Carlyn Hattingh is a resident of Zulwini Gardens. She does not reside within the complex but rather in Acutt Road, which is across the road from the complex.

Chairman of Zulwini Gardens body corporate Bryan Jarman took exception to the Sun’s article about the bird shootings, as it implicated someone in the complex as the culprit. He took umbrage at the lack of opportunity provided to the complex to comment on the matter, despite it being named. The Sun apologises to the complex for not providing it with an opportunity to comment.

“On the day of the incident I was reading on my bed when I heard a knock on my outside gate. I was confronted by two women and a man. One of the women was holding a dead mynah bird. She alleged someone in Zulwini Gardens had been firing a pellet gun into her property. She alleged the pellets were hitting her roof and how the bird ended up being shot,” he said.

“After they left, I investigated and went to each unit facing her garden in Acutt Road, to no avail. Most of the owners were not at home when the incident occurred due to them being at work. People who were home at one or two of the units claimed to not even own a pellet gun. The statement in the previous article that the direction of the pellets were calculated is unfounded and merely based on assumptions, because Mrs Hattingh stated that she could not see where the pellets were coming from.”

Mr.Jarman said comments about cats going missing and being deduced as relating to the same incident, are also unreasonable and unfounded. “Mrs Hattingh resides very close to a huge bush in an area where many snakes reside which could also be the cause of the missing cats. Furthermore, many cats have gone missing in and around Amanzimtoti, not just from our area,” he said.

“It is stated the culprit might be a Zulwini Gardens resident, which insinuates a resident is responsible for birds, cats and monkeys being shot, without proper proven facts.”
He decried the lack of proof around the assertions and said Zulwini Gardens residents are just as shocked and concerned as the Hattinghs. “We also feel the correct and proven culprit must face the full extent of the law. However, the article is mostly based on unfounded assumptions and allegations,” he said.

However, two residents of the complex, who asked to have their identity withheld, have shared with the Sun their own experiences.

Some two months ago, while sitting in their home, one resident allegedly heard a pellet gun being fired.

“I grabbed my cellphone and ran outside to see what was going on,” they said. “I saw the person across from me shooting at monkeys that were all around in my garden. My dogs were also in the garden, they could’ve so easily injured one of my pets.

Another resident of the complex, who also asked to remain unnamed, explained to the Sun that they noticed their cat and dog had round marks on them. While the skin wasn’t broken, whatever had hit the animals (the owner suspects a paintball gun) had caused their hair to fall out where those marks were left. “The vet said it may be someone spraying my cat and dog with pepper spray, or a mixture of chemicals causing the hair to fall out,” they said. “I now keep my dog indoors as he refuses to go outside. He trembles and is so afraid when I try to put him out before leaving for work. Now that he stays inside, he doesn’t have anymore marks. My cat, however, refuses to stay inside all day and I still find marks on her.”

Asked for comment on these instances, Bryan Jarman said: “If people are not willing to put their name behind any comments they make, I feel their comments carry no weight at all. If these incidents were reported in writing to the trustees we would have taken it seriously and tried in the best of our ability to investigate this further. We are not on constant patrol around the complex, but we do try to keep an ear to the ground.

Our maintenance team also report any incidents if and when they occur. Even in our January newsletter, we made our residents aware of this incident and reminded them that no pellet guns are to be fired in our complex. We are against cruelty to animals and feel the proven culprit/s must be held responsible.”

Inflicting unwarranted injuries on pets or wild animals is not only immoral but also against the law, especially when it involves the use of a pellet gun. Anyone with information about the shootings of birds or pets can contact Simon on 076-397-3032 or Amanzimtoti SAPS on 031-913-1300, as a case has been opened.

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