Family pet dies in bee attack

A VICIOUS attack by a swarm of angry bees on Wednesday morning has left a three-year-old dachshund dead and a five-year-old Great Dane in critical condition.

The distraught and disorientated Dane, named Shayla, was found in a yard some distance from his home on Jameson Road, after making a desperate escape from the property.

Bloody smears and marks on the walls of the home bear testimony to the struggle Shayla put up to escape from the onslaught of stings.

According to Shayla’s owner, Thomas Dry, his wife had arrived at their home with a colleague, only to find a scene of absolute chaos.

Attack

‘Our gardener was going about his business when a tree in a neighbour’s yard fell over, and the bees swarmed,’ he said.

‘They first went for him and he ran, but then they turned on the dogs.’

Dry rushed home after a frantic call from his wife, but had no idea how serious the situation was.

‘Shayla went running down the road as soon as my wife’s friend opened the gate,’ he said.

The Drys other pets also suffered.

Tollie the dachshund died, while two other dachshunds, Miki and Tinkie, escaped relatively unharmed.

Shayla was still being treated at the Zululand Veterinary Hospital late on Wednesday, and was described as being in a very critical condition.

‘We removed more than 100 stings from his body. He was even stung inside his mouth,’ said Dry.

Shock

When canines are stung by bees they can go into shock as result of an allergic reaction, which in turn can seriously affect their breathing, said Hester Fraser of Hive Honey in Richards Bay.

‘Dogs that are stung by bees must be taken to the vet immediately,’ she said.

Bees are notoriously territorial, and Fraser explained that at the time they perceived the gardener and dogs as a threat.