Feral dog warning for Lower Illovo
Laura said she has noticed a decimation of the wildlife in the area.
Lower Illovo residents are urged to beware of packs of feral dogs roaming the suburb.
The warning comes from Toti Conservancy chairman, Laura Taylor, who lived in the area for three years and has often spotted packs of the dogs in the sugarcane fields and bush.
“I have seen them around Mother of Peace (MOP) and on the other side of the river by the Illovo Business Park,” she said. “I have seen seven dogs in a pack alone, and up to 15 accompanied by people.”
It is suspected the dogs with people are used for hunting.
In 2009 wild dogs killed two people and attacked several others in Inchanga.
“I’m worried that what happened in Inchanga could happen here and I’m concerned for children who walk in the sugarcane fields or workers from MOP who walk along the road in the evenings,” said Laura.
Director of MOP, Gavin Gradwell said they have seen these packs of dogs, especially in the sugarcane fields. “We have seen between five and 10 dogs in a pack. No-one has been attacked yet, but it is quite an issue. The ones accompanied by people we suspect are being used to hunt the small buck in the sugarcane fields.”
Laura said she has noticed a decimation of the wildlife in the area. “We always saw reed buck, especially at night, but now you don’t see anything. We would always hear jackals, but now you don’t hear them. Whatever wildlife there was in the area has been taken out.”
