CPF and Hercules police raise concerns over dog poisoning
"In one week, we had eight dogs that were poisoned on three premises, all the dogs died."
CPF sector 4 and Hercules police have raised concerns about the recent increase in dog poisoning in the west of Pretoria.
Residents have been experiencing break-ins after their dogs were killed by criminals using poison.
A member of the CPF in sector 4 Edna van Vuuren said they have seen a recent increase in dog poisonings in Kameeldrift West.
“In one week, we had eight dogs that were poisoned on three premises. All the dogs died.
“The criminals broke into one plot and stole a gym machine and a grinder. On the other plot, they stole gym equipment and in the third case, they just killed the dogs. We do not know if they were interrupted, but they did not steal anything.
Van Vuuren said the dogs are usually killed by criminals who intend to steal something on the premises.
“On the same night after they poisoned the dogs, something goes missing on the premises. They give the dogs poison, wait a bit, then come back later and steal. In the morning when the owner wakes up, they find their dogs dead.
“What they sometimes do is poison dogs that stay on plots that are opposite each other so that they are not disturbed. At one point dog poisoning and the stealing of motorbikes go hand-in-hand. Now they are going hand-in-hand with break-ins.”
Van Vuuren said the poisoning of dogs is something that they have experienced in the past but had been quiet for a while.
She said that she is also aware that areas like Daspoort and Clearmont have also been experiencing the same thing.
Captain Bonginkosi Msimango said the dog poisoning in their policing prescient has been going on for years.
Msimango said when the criminals want to commit crimes such as housebreaking, robbery and theft, they usually start by targeting the dogs.
“They poison the dogs by usually throwing something that has poison in it to eat. After eating it, they die. They do this to have access for the next time when they come, knowing that there are no dogs anymore.”
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Msimango said the criminals target and poison the dogs at night while the owners are sleeping.
“In most cases, the owner wakes up and finds the dogs dead. In the afternoon when the owner goes to work, they can easily enter the premises because they know that the dogs are dead. In some instances, they even enter the premises the same night after poising the dogs.”
He said police cannot confirm what poison is used by the criminals when targeting the dogs because they use different poisons.
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