Edenvale family appeals for witnesses after puppy is shot

An Avenues family has been left shocked and worried after their Jack Russell puppy was shot with a pellet gun last Wednesday.

According to owner Sue Sogot, the seven-month-old puppy, Beans, was shot in the chest at approximately 12:00.

“I was busy working from home, and the dogs started barking, but it was newspaper delivery time, so I didn’t think much of it.

“All of a sudden, I heard a yelp, and I wondered what had happened, so I looked outside the dining room window to see what was going on.”

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Sogot explained that the family owns three dogs. She said one of the dogs seemed confused while standing near the gate to the property.

“I then looked out of the kitchen window and saw that the second, larger dog was hiding at the back of the property, shivering and cowering, while Beans was nowhere to be found.”

Looking further for the puppy, Sogot said she found Beans sitting outside the kitchen door.

“Beans had one little leg up. She didn’t look okay, so I raced outside, and as I got to her, I could see there was an injury on her chest and blood was pouring out.

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“I grabbed Beans and raced to the Eastleigh Veterinary Clinic,” said Sogot.

At the clinic, the staff asked Sogot whether the puppy had possibly caught herself on something in the garden, which Sogot initially believed had happened.

However, after Beans was taken for X-rays, it was determined that she had been shot with a pellet gun and that the pellet was still lodged inside her.

“When I heard this, I was in total disbelief. I screamed, ‘What?’

The pellet travelled from Beans’ chest to her shoulder blade. Fortunately, no organs were struck. However, the puppy did need surgery to remove the pellet.

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Sogot thanked the veterinary clinic for its exceptional and compassionate care.

After receiving the news, Sogot said she phoned Caxton to find out whether any of the delivery personnel had seen or heard anything while delivering newspapers in the area earlier that day.

“The team actually brought the delivery truck to our property at around 16:00, and the driver spoke to us, informing us that nothing had been seen or heard.”

In Sogot’s opinion, based on the trail of blood left by Beans, the way she was walking and the angle of the shot, the puppy was deliberately targeted.

“To hit her in the chest like that if the rifle was fired into the air would be absolutely random,” said Sogot.

Although she said Beans is not a noisy dog, she believes the puppy was shot while standing near the property gate.

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Following the incident, Sogot appealed to her neighbours and the surrounding community to find out whether anyone had heard or seen anything. However, none of her neighbours had noticed anything unusual.

She said that after reviewing security camera footage, all that could be seen was the normal foot traffic through the avenues.

“I am extremely grateful that Beans is alright and that she is on the road to recovery, but the community needs to be aware of incidents like this.”

She appealed to the community not to discharge pellet guns or air rifles in residential areas.

“The consequences can be disastrous, not only for yourself but for the surrounding community as well.”

Sogot said that following the shooting, she contacted Edenvale SAPS to report the incident. However, the police informed her that without further evidence, they would not be able to open a case.

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She also reported the matter to the Edenvale SPCA, which is investigating the incident.

Edenvale Visible Policing (Vispol) commander Lieutenant Colonel Shadrack Magcuntsu told the Bedfordview and Edenvale News that no reports of pellet guns being discharged in the Avenues, or of animals being shot with pellet guns, had been brought to his attention.

However, he highlighted that it is an offence and a contravention of the Firearms Control Act to discharge a pellet gun in a residential area.

Sogot appealed to residents of Fifteenth Avenue who may have information that could assist the investigation to contact her at susansogot@gmail.com