‘Tell us the truth about PJ’, pleads desperate family after beloved pet disappears

THE strange disappearance of the black Labrador named PJ remains a mystery for  Douglas and Paula van de Ruit.

The family from Anerley, who have a two-year-old child, began to look for a home for six-year-old PJ after he had twice bitten their daughter.

PJ was a loving pet but they were told by a local vet that this behaviour was one of dominance and the vet recommended they find another home for the dog in order to avoid another incident.

The couple was approached by a reaction officer from a local security company, who said he was looking for a black Labrador to train for their dog unit.

YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN: Police dogs get a little help

According to the family, PJ was given to the officer on a trial basis to see if it would work out and they had an agreement with the officer that they could visit PJ at any time.

“The reaction officer was convincing and we felt we could trust him with PJ,” said Paula.

In September last year, after receiving many calls about PJ escaping from the yard of the home where he was being kept in Oslo Beach, Paula felt that something was wrong and decided to fetch PJ.

Unable to get hold of the officer, she went to his house, only to be told he had moved, with PJ, to Protea Park. “My heart stopped when PJ was not there. Why didn’t he tell us he had moved?” said an emotional Paula.

Paula eventually got hold of the officer who promised to fetch PJ and bring him home. However, Douglas, who works out of the country, told her to wait so that they could fetch PJ together.

But when they arrived at the house he wasn’t there.

Douglas called and met with the owner of the house, named ‘Lenny’, who said that PJ had been there – he had been asked to look after him by ‘Mohan’ – but they had given him away as he kept escaping from the yard and had bitten Lenny’s wife.

When asked where the dog was, he was very vague and said he had given it to his son’s school friend.

When they phoned the officer, he was shocked and promised to follow up.

Meanwhile, ‘Lenny’ claimed he was going to fetch PJ first from St Michael’s, then from Sea Park and finally from a farmer in Umzumbe.

He then called Douglas and told him PJ had escaped and been run over on the N2. Lenny initially did not want to give Douglas the contact number of the farmer in Umzumbe, but when Douglas visited him Lenny produced a contact number for  someone called ‘Bobby’.

Douglas tried to contact ‘Bobby’ on numerous occasions, with no response. Eventually Paula called the number and spoke to ‘Bobby’s’ wife, who told her that ‘Bobby’ was a paraplegic. ‘Bobby’ admitted to Paula that he had a black Labrador but had had to find homes for all his dogs, as he had moved to a flat in St Michael’s.

The story is long, complicated and twisted and, according to the couple, filled with many conflicting stories and lies. They have also been threatened and warned not to ask questions about PJ’s disappearance.

Most recently, ‘Lenny’ informed Paula via a WhatsApp message that he could not verify that it was in fact PJ he had given to ‘Bobby’.

In November last year, Douglas opened a case of theft under false pretences against the officer, but the prosecutor declined to prosecute as there was insufficient evidence.

YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN: Illegal dog hunting rife in Lions Grove

Douglas said they were told by the investigating officer that, after questioning ‘Lenny’, it was established that PJ was given to his domestic worker but, when she was questioned, it emerged that PJ had escaped from her home and that she had heard he had been found dead on the N2, near Bhobhoyi.

“We question the domestic worker’s statement, given that we had been given many conflicting stories,” said Douglas. “No one has been able to verify or provide any solid proof of their claims.”

After the investigating officer interviewed the reaction officer, the reaction officer contacted  Douglas and told him that he wanted to offer the couple another dog.

“We did not regret our decision at the time but, in retrospect, it was the wrong decision to place him where we did,” said a tearful Paula. “But after almost 10 months of searching for PJ, we still haven’t received any answers.”

Many will have seen the poster of ‘missing PJ’ plastered everywhere along the coast.

During their hunt for PJ they have had the bitter-sweet pleasure of reuniting other black Labradors with their owners.

“People would call us and say there was a black Labrador on the roadside. We would rush out and find it wasn’t him, but somebody else’s dog,” said Paula. “We are very grateful for the support we have received from the local community, they have been wonderful.

“We have gone to the ends of the earth to try find the truth but we have hit so many brick walls in this nightmare of an ordeal and we will not rest or give up until we find out the truth,” added Paula.

The couple believes PJ could have been used for dog fighting as their own investigations have uncovered the possibility of a dog fighting syndicate in the area.

“We suspect PJ was dumped in Oslo Beach ahead of a planned dog fight but nobody wants to man up and tell us the truth.”

Anyone with information can email shonaa@dbn.caxton.co.za

HAVE YOUR SAY

Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram

For news straight to your phone, add us on BBM 58F3D7A7 or WhatsApp 082 421 6033