Dog found trapped in sewer after three hour search

Barry Sweetman’s worst nightmare came true when he took his dog Bruno for a walk at President Park in December last year.
It has become a tradition for Sweetman to take Bruno for a walk, however, when he turned his back briefly, he saw that his furry friend was nowhere in sight.
“At first I didn’t panic, but as time went by and he was nowhere to be seen my concerns grew,” said Sweetman.
After combing the park for three hours, Sweetman finally found Bruno trapped in a sewer, cold, wet and covered in sewage.

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Luckily, Bruno was unhurt and Sweetman was able to pull him out with some help.
“He was so covered in sewage we had to shave him just get the stench off.
“He hasn’t been the same dog since, now he is too scared to wander around the park as he usually does and sticks close to me,” he said.

Sweetman blames the incident on the poor state of President Park and says it is in the worst state since he has been frequenting for the past 20 years.
“It is so bad you can’t see anything when walking here. It should not have taken this long to find him.”
“The grass is overgrown and all the manhole covers are missing or stolen. I love my dog, but imagine if a small child were to fall into a sewer?”

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Resident Denise Scarrott feels the park is no longer safe for use.
“Many families walk in the park and the children run and play in the grass. Had it been a child that had fallen in it would have been catastrophic and the municipality would have been liable,” she said.
Widespread theft has left the park in the worst state it has ever been, said Sweetman.
“Palisades, water taps, fences and electric wires have been vandalised or stolen. The ablution facilities have been rendered unusable and many trees cut down.”
Comment from the City of Ekurhuleni will be published once it has been received.

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