Kathy Naicker said the last time she saw her two-year-old boerbul ‘Hobbs’ and six-month-old mixed breed ‘Paris’ was at 11pm on Friday, 11 January.
“My parents noticed the dogs missing on Saturday morning at about 7am and searched the yard for them, but found nothing,” said Kathy. “I searched the whole of Lower Illovo at about 8am. My brother checked at Toti SPCA and suggested the dogs might have crawled under the house and I should not worry. Previously Hobbs had disappeared and hadn’t responded when we called for her.”
When Kathy returned at 5pm to search under the house, her brother said he had found Hobbs’ body and buried her.
The body was found directly in front of a neighbour’s house with her face smashed in. “The body wasn’t there when I searched earlier in the morning,” said Kathy. “That neighbour threatened to kill my dogs in September when they barked at him. Hobbs’ mother was poisoned shortly after that incident and three months ago another neighbour’s dog was poisoned.”
A security guard stationed in the road said he had witnessed the dogs being run over by a Toyota Corolla at about 4am on Saturday. After questioning him, he pointed out Paris’ body, found about two metres from where Hobbs was found.
“Paris’ back was cut open and police confirmed he was butchered, possibly with a bush knife. There’s no way the injuries were from being knocked by a car.”
The owner of the company that employs the security guard said he will be sent for a polygraph test.
“This is crazy,” said Kathy. “What type of person does this to dogs? If he had a problem with me, why didn’t he come and speak to me?
The KZN police media centre confirmed an incident occurred between 10.35pm on 10 January and 3.30pm on 11 January where a dog owner found her two dogs dead at Wesley Road, Lower Illovo. “A case under the Animal Protection Act was opened for investigation at Amanzimtoti police station, but no arrest has been made,” said Colonel Jay Naicker.
