Family wants closure over dog’s death at pet hotel

The Singh family is devastated after their beloved two-year-old male cross-Maltese terrier was killed at Paws at Play Pet Hotel in Mapleton recently.

After hearing the story from the family, the Boksburg Advertised asked the hotel for comment, but they declined to comment on the matter.

Renisha Singh said they are still traumatised, as they didn’t get a clear explanation of what happened. They would like to get some closure.

“We want to create awareness for pet owners to be extra vigilant when trusting any pet care facility,” she said.

Renisha explained their dog, Oreo, went to the facility on February 23 for a five-night stay while the family went on holiday.

On the morning of February 24, 12 hours after the incident, Renisha was informed that Oreo was dead.

“The owner promised to keep us updated but when we hadn’t heard anything by 19:30 we called,” said Renisha.

“My husband, Surajh, was told a power-breed dog attacked and killed Oreo after he had dug through the fence to get out of his enclosure.

“He asked how such a small dog could break through a steel fence and the owner said Oreo was desperate to get out. My husband requested more details of the incident and the facility to share pictures as evidence, which she never provided.

Surajh further claimed the owner did not follow protocol to get a vet to certify Oreo dead and provide a report on the nature of his injuries and the cause of death. She also blocked the Singhs on WhatsApp.

“My husband received an email on February 24 informing him that they handed over the dog that attacked Oreo to the Boksburg SPCA, who inspected their premises for any possible neglect from their side, as well as confirmation that they lay Oreo to rest.

“She changed her story in an email sent to Surajh on February 27, saying it could have been a black dog that had broken the fence and killed Oreo,” Renisha added.

The family decided to contact the Boksburg SPCA themselves.

“We met with the inspector and his manager and they had no inspector that went out to inspect the facility to prepare a report.

“The inspector confirmed he received a call to remove two power breed dogs, abandoned by their owners over a year ago.

“Between February 24 and March 1, nobody from the SPCA inspected the facility.”

The family received feedback from the Boksburg SPCA on March 1.

“The owner was unavailable, and the inspector had to speak with her worker who informed him the incident happened on Thursday at about 19:30.

“The inspector further stated there was a rusty steel mesh against a part of the fence where the other dog allegedly got through. He advised the fence didn’t show signs of being broken or ripped apart by a dog. It was clear from the close-up pictures of the fence taken by the inspector that there was no damage or breakage of any kind.”

On March 14, the inspector met with the owner. She said she heard a commotion outside and found a black Staffordshire terrier standing over Oreo. She said she didn’t know what had happened, but suspects the black staffie killed Oreo. She was unsure how the staffie had gotten into Oreo’s kennel.

“The owner told the inspector she did not get confirmation about the cause of death from a vet because she knows what a dead dog looks like and that it was unnecessary. They took no pictures of Oreo or the suspected dog that killed him.

SPCA response
“The Boksburg SPCA can confirm that another dog attacked and killed the family’s pet at the Paws at Play boarding facility.

“We are currently investigating the matter. However, it is proving to be a difficult investigation as they only notified us of the incident a few days after it happened.

“We can also confirm that the Singh family are good, responsible pet owners who entrusted the safety of their beloved pet in the hands of what appeared to be a reputable boarding facility.

“The brutal loss of their little dog shattered them and the SPCA supports their decision to proceed with legal action if they feel this to be a case of negligence,” said Boksburg SPCA manager Vicky Finnemore.

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