The massacre continues

More than 15 dogs have been poisoned since the beginning of the month.

At least 10 dogs have been poisoned in a single street in Tasbet Park Extension 2.
By Friday morning, August 22 five households’ dogs had been poisoned in Clarinet Street. Of the 12 poisoned dogs only two survived.
“We were able to get our German Shepherd to vomit up the poison, my sister-in-law suggested feeding it dry English mustard, it saved the dog’s life,” said Ms Meranda Potgieter.

The Strydom family awoke Friday morning to find that their three dogs had been poisoned.
Mr Jerry Strydom searched his yard but there was no sign of any treated meat.

“My daughter is three-years-old and keeps looking for the dogs to this day, you see every morning she would go out and take them biscuits,” said Strydom.

In all the years living in Clarinet Street, Strydom has never experienced any burglaries or dog poisonings, this is a first for the family.
Strydom added that along with his three dogs, another two families living in the street lost two dogs each to these poisonings, and that a family living in Drama Street, just around the corner, had also lost two of their dogs to poisoning.

“They were pavement specials, but still family,” ended Strydom.
Potgieter family after finding their German Shepherd in the yard, searched for their Jack Russell only to find it lying dead further up the street.

“The dogs had been vomiting up blood, it looked so bad,” said a resident.
Potgieter mentioned that there has not been any suspicious activity in the street, aside from one of the neighbours firing two builders and chasing them from his grounds. She also finds it odd that the dogs were poisoned only at certain houses in the street, sort of in a zig zag pattern.

In WITBANK NEWS of August 8, it was reported that two families lost their four-legged friends due to dog poisoning, the poisonings took place in extensions 41 and 16.

On Monday, August 19 another two dogs were found dead due to poisoning, in Extension 41, the suspects responsible for the poisoning stole a motor vehicle from the household where the dogs were poisoned.

“We advise the community to report these dog poisonings to the SAPS, and not to handle any foods laced with Timek (2-step),” said Capt Eddie Hall, police communications.

Residents of Tasbet Park Extension 2 can contact Victor Thomas on 084 989 2793, concerning the next Community Policing Forum meeting, should they wish to assist in crime prevention in the area.

*Be cautious when dealing with Two-step. If your animal is suspected to be poisoned, the area should be searched for bait, usually meat based, which contains these granules.
*Ensure that pets and children are kept away from that area until it is cleaned.
*You can buy charcoal from the vet that has been made up for animals, and you can administer the charcoal to the animal. This acts as a binding agent giving your pet a better chance of survival.
*The signs of two-step poisoning that you should be on the lookout for include salivation, muscle tremors, vomiting, diarrhoea, difficulty in breathing, seizures, weakness and paralysis, slow heart rate and/or small pupils.
*Should your animal already be dead, using rubber gloves, take the animal to the vet to be incinerated. If that is not possible then bury the animal at least one meter deep, away from food and water supplies. Be sure to cover the animal with lime or soda ash before covering with soil, this will ensure that the toxin is destroyed.