Ben Badenhorst has promised to ‘bliksem’ the people responsible for poisoning his dog, 12-year-old Jack Russell, Stompie.
“As ek hulle kry gaan ek hulle bliksem,” said Mr Badenhorst, his voice shaking with barely controlled emotion.
Mr Badenhorst said he had returned home in the late afternoon on Friday, May 2. He started preparing supper and noticed Stompie was absent.
“I went looking for him, because usually he runs right up to me when I get home.”
Stompie was found lying next to the bed in the master bedroom, in a poor state.
“I knew immediately something was not right. He was just lying there, not even wagging his tail.”
As Stompie was still alive at the time, Mr Badenhorst decided to take the dog to the vet immediately, who to his absolute shock and horror told him that Stompie had to be put down. Further investigation of the yard of his home revealed a half-eaten sausage with ‘some black stuff’ inside it. He also found puddles of vomit.
Mr Badenhorst believes his dog was poisoned to gain access to motorcycles parked in his garage.
“After I read the article in the Newcastle Advertiser about the motorcycle thefts in town, I immediately realised there must be a connection,” said Mr Badenhorst.
He added he was working long working hours and suspected the persons responsible had been watching him.
“I never lock the garage, and during the day my domestic worker has the garage door open, because the washing machine is in there and then the motorcycles are clearly visible,” he explained. “I now keep my garage locked, which I never did in the past.”
No suspects have been arrested yet, as the area is a pedestrian hotspot, making it very difficult to pinpoint any suspicious behaviour.
Residents who own motorcycles are once again urged to keep their two-wheeled machines out of sight and locked up, as opportunistic thieves could still be operating in the area.
