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Cape Town - Residents in Isiqalo informal settlements allegedly hanged a dog which made noises as it was on heat and looking for a mate.
The pit bull named Bully was at her home when she was apparently a “nuisance” to her neighbours.
The person who saved her arrived and found her hanging on his shack.
Animal Welfare Society of SA spokesperson Allan Perrins said: “Bully, an unspayed, two-year-old, female, pit bull-cross from the outskirts of Philippi went “on heat” and in search of a mate.
“This almost cost her and her brave rescuer their lives when he went to cut her down after noticing her dangling from the roof of her owner’s shack.
“Her rescuer sustained several serious dog bites from a frenzied pack of unsterilised male dogs that honed in on her scent and the general commotion. As soon as the opportunity presented itself he grabbed Bully and ran to the safety of her owner’s enclosed back yard where he called us to come and help.
“First on the scene was Trainee Inspector Sivuyile Kilwa who is familiar with the area.
“He quickly located the injured dog, assessed her condition and applied emergency first-aid before rushing her to our hospital where she was met by an expectant team who went about treating her injuries before spaying her with the grateful consent of her owner who claimed to be ignorant of the consequences of her coming into season and unaware of who was responsible.”
Perrins said Bully will soon be reunited with her owner who has raised the height of his boundary wall and built her a new kennel.
“We have received a lot of flack from people criticising us for returning the dog to him, but when we return the dog we are going to take a video of the relationship between him and the dog. Living under atrocious conditions doesn’t mean you can’t take care of the dog.
“I think that people are fed up with the unsterilised and the females on heat. We don’t consider the man to be an unfit dog owner. Bully has been sterilised and is in good condition. On Monday we can return the dog to Isiqalo.
“The owner wants us to educate other pet owners in the community about the benefits of pet sterilisation as he fears there is a growing level of intolerance towards dogs that stray and are allowed to breed uncontrollably.”
The organisation has agreed to include Isiqalo in our 2024/25 Outreach Plan subject to approval of our https://www.nlcsa.org.za/ Lotto funding application or additional sponsorship from one of our campaign benefactors.