Kempton Park police officer SHOOTS loved family dog
WATCH: Patches the loved Bull Terrier has taken her first steps to recovery after she was shot on October 4 and her leg was amputated.
A Bonaero Park family is in shock after a Kempton Park police officer shot their bull terrier, Patches, last Friday morning, October 4.
The incident occurred shortly after a burglary at the home.
Annie-Marie Nelson, Patches’ owner, recounted the sequence of events.
“There was a burglary in the early hours of the morning. Criminals opened the burglar bars, got through a window, and stole two phones,” she said.
“I wasn’t aware of what had happened until one of my tenants knocked on my door and told me my daughter had been trying to call me.”
Also read: Kempton Park SAPS members mourn two of its officers
Realising their phones were missing, Nelson’s daughter contacted the police. When the officers arrived, Nelson, her daughter, CPF members and other residents were present.
“I was walking towards one of the officers when I suddenly heard my daughter screaming. She asked the officer,
‘Why did you do that?’ I rushed over and saw the officer had shot Patches.”
Despite her injury, Patches tried to run with her broken leg until Nelson calmed her down.
“She was nervous and nibbling at me because she didn’t want me to close the wound,” Nelson said.
She quickly asked her daughter for a cloth to stop the bleeding, hoping to save Patches’ leg.
They rushed Patches to the vet, but the damage from the bullet was severe, and her leg had to be amputated.
Also read: Kempton Park SAPS detective is the best in the country
“Patches is a loving and playful dog that has never harmed anyone. She’s a member of our family, and we’re devastated by what happened,” said Nelson.
Nelson was in disbelief over the shooting, saying her daughter stood nearby when the officer fired.
“He claimed he was scared, but that’s no excuse. Patches is more than just a pet; she’s our child. We’re heartbroken, and I don’t know how we will recover from this,” she said.
The family disputes the police’s account, emphasising that Patches was not aggressive.
“She was a playful dog, always greeting visitors excitedly,” Nelson said.
The Nelsons are struggling to cover Patches’ veterinary bills and appeal for help.
“We need justice for Patches. The officer’s actions were reckless and unacceptable. We demand accountability,” said Nelson.
Carla Nelson, Annie-Marie’s daughter, witnessed the incident firsthand.
“Patches was just playing around when the officer shot her. I was calling her to come to me when I heard the shot.
That sound is still ringing in my ears. It could have hit me, I was so close,” said Carla.
“If a police officer can shoot a dog without warning, how safe are we? What if next time it is a child throwing a tantrum? Will they shoot then, too?”
Carla described Patches as energetic and friendly, adding that she never threatened anyone in the yard.
“Patches loves people. If you stopped by, she’d jump right in your car, wanting to go with you. That’s all been taken away from her over a careless mistake.”
Marius van Schoor, a police officer since 1987, expressed concern over the incident.
Also read: WATCH: Kempton Park SAPS told by commissioner to pull up its socks
“We were trained never to shoot without warning. There were no bite marks, no barking, and the dog posed no threat,” he said.
Kempton Park SAPS spokesperson Sergeant Dipuo Ditshego commented on the shooting, saying the sergeant in question and his team were responding to a housebreaking complaint.
“On arrival, the dogs were on a leash but not in a controllable environment. One of the dogs approached the sergeant as if it were about to attack, prompting him to fire shots at its legs,” Ditshego said.
Ditshego claimed the officer fired a warning shot before shooting the dog, but it did not retreat.
“In such situations, officers cannot ignore an aggressive dog,” she said, adding that the investigation is in its early stages and support will be given to the family if needed.
According to Ditshego, the officers reacted to what he perceived as a threat, and the dog’s aggressive behaviour led to the shooting.
“The owner did not inform the officers that the dog was not leashed and vicious,” she explained.
