Beloved dogs stabbed to death in Fairleigh

"I mentioned to my brother how I miss them and the joy which they brought to my home; my heart is truly broken."

February 14, 2020

Zaria Van Dillen 2 minutes read

Annabell Booyse is overcome with grief at the loss of her beloved pets.

Unity is the strongest weapon there is against animal abuse. This is the view of Newcastle SPCA’s Inspector, Suveshin Naidoo, after he was called out to a heartbreaking scene late last week.

Naidoo explained that Thursday (February 6) began as just another day in the office, as a call came in regarding an animal which had been injured.

“I received a call in the early hours of the morning concerning an animal in Fairleigh, so naturally I climbed into my car and responded. As I reached the scene, the chaos which unfolded before my eyes was bewildering,” he explained.

As Naidoo arrived on scene, the owner of the two animals, Annabell Booyse explained her pets had been stabbed. Both animals had suffered severe injuries, one of which was a five-inch stab wound to the neck, penetrating the main artery. The other was an abdominal stabbing which led to internal bleeding and the loss of a litter of puppies, who were merely two weeks away from being born.

“We tried our very best to save the animals, but unfortunately the severity of the injuries was too high and both dogs had to be euthanised,” added Naidoo.

Patches was stabbed in the neck and tragically succumbed to her injuries.

A pet owner’s grief :
As load-shedding swept the suburb of Fairleigh into darkness, Annabell Booyse’s ears pricked up at the sounds of a scuffle in her yard. She believes she recognised the deep voice which echoed during the attack, and has her own suspicions about the culprit.

“I believe it could be an individual who has a personal grudge against my family.”

The Newcastle SPCA suspected the culprits to be a group of teenagers, who were up to mischief and looking for trouble in the neighbourhood.

“If it were to be the teenagers, we have to ask why were they on the streets in the first place? Were the individuals intoxicated and if so, they should be held accountable for their senseless acts of violence against an animal,” said SPCA spokesperson, Heather Gero.

Annabell Booyse a resident from Fairleigh.

Booyse mentioned the community of Fairleigh knew her and the animals well, and emphasised her pets were not prone to violent behaviour.

“Wherever I went, my dogs were always with me. The people knew my family and how we raised seven generations of puppies. The community shared a sense of devastation among one another and could not believe such violence could erupt on our own streets, and neither could I. I loved my animals dearly. Just the other day, I mentioned to my brother how I miss them and the joy which they brought to my home; my heart is truly broken,” concluded Booyse.

The surviving puppies of Patches, one of the dogs who was stabbed, are currently being cared for by the SPCA and will be up for adoption within the next few weeks.