NINE-year-old Butch, a Jack Russel cross Labrador, was stabbed seven times and killed during a house burglary in Cresslawn on Monday afternoon.
His owners have called him a hero. “He saved us, he died a hero,” said his owner, Gina Duarte.
The single mother of three sons said she received a call from her eldest son at about 2.30pm on the day, informing her the TV was missing from the wall unit.
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“From what I understand the culprits jumped my gate and went through the back sliding door, which was open because my son was home,” she explained.
“I don’t get how people can be so sick and cruel. They slaughtered and murdered Butch,” added an emotional Duarte.
Her 16-year-old was sleeping in his room during the incident while her eldest son was picking up their other sibling from school.
“My son never locks his room but for some reason, it could only be God, he locked his room that day. He said someone tried to open the door but he thought it was brother and shouted, ‘what do you want?’, not knowing it was the burglars.”
The thieves made off with Duarte’s jewellery, three TVs, a laptop and Play Station, all valued at around R50 000.
A case of house breaking and theft was opened with Sebenza SAPS.
“I have to compliment the police. They were there within five minutes of reporting the case. They were brilliant. I don’t normally do this but I have to give them credit,” pointed out Duarte.
Duarte was still overwhelmed with emotion as she recalled coming home to find Butch injured. Her sons found the injured Butch on the pavement. He was rushed to the vet but sadly did not make it.
“He went into shock and lost so much blood. I want to send a big thank you to the amazing efforts of the vets at Kempton Veterinary Hospital for trying their hardest to save our Butch.”
Duarte is grateful her sons were unharmed.
The Duarte family is living in fear since the incident.
“We are very scared, we don’t sleep at night. We are worried they will come back because they know what they left behind.”
