A recent spate of dog poisonings in suburbs east of Johannesburg has left residents on edge, raising fears of home invasions and attempted break-ins.
In the most serious incident, more than 10 dogs died in one street in a single night in De Wetshof last month after they were poisoned. The small suburb, tucked between Observatory and Cyrildene, has become the focal point of growing concern among residents who believe the poisonings may be linked to criminals targeting homes after first disabling guard dogs.
Admiro Antonio and his Maria Tilli, residents in De Wetshof, lost two of their dogs, while the third one managed to survive after the family got him to the veterinarian clinic in time. “When this happened, I lost my mind. I cannot explain it, it is one of the most traumatic things that can happen. Your pet becomes part of the family,” she said.
Tilli described the death of their Alsatian and Dachshund last month as one of “the most cruel” things that can happen to anyone. She explained that she woke up early that morning to go outside for a smoke, when she noticed one of the Alsatians wasn’t well and was frothing at the mouth.
“The last thing I was thinking was that the dogs were poisoned,” she said. She called Antonio to help, and when he came outside and walked around the house they noticed that the other two dogs were already dead.
It was only later that morning that they realised their dogs weren’t the only ones poisoned that night. It later emerged that more than 10 dogs were poisoned that night in the same street. “The news started spreading quickly. Whoever did this knew which houses had dogs and which didn’t because they found no traces of poison in those yards. They knew exactly who to target,” Tilli said.
A few nights later, there was a violent home invasion at a property nearby. “It’s really scary,” Tilli said. “We’ve never had anything like this,” she said, adding that they had to beef up their security following the incident.
Abrar Cassim, who lives next to Tilli and her family, said his family was devastated by the loss of their dog as well. “It’s actually devastating. We got her when my eldest son was born. We got her for protection, and we couldn’t protect her,” Cassim said.
Cassim said the modus operandi was to put poison into sausages and other meat, and then throw it into the yards of dog-owners. But it wasn’t just the dogs that were affected by the poisonings. He said later they found dead birds in the area as well that must have scavenged on the poisoned meat that remained in yards.
He said the family decided to get another dog a few weeks after because his children were so attached to the previous dog. “My wife didn’t want to get another dog because she didn’t want to be held responsible if anything should happen to that dog,” he said.
“Basically everyone has been on alert. We haven’t had a decent night’s sleep and everyone in the street has been extra vigilant,” he said. “The dogs are our first line of defence, but how do we protect them and ensure that they are okay and remain safe?”
Last week, a day after a dog survived an apparent poisoning at a house in Cyrildene, a dramatic shootout ensued between a private security officer and armed robbers allegedly hiding on the same property.
Blue Hawk Tactical said one of its officers responded to a call from a resident reporting intruders on the property. After being led inside by a family member, the officer moved to the back of the property where shots were exchanged.
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Two suspects were shot and arrested at the scene, while two others fled. The security company warned: “This incident follows a series of home invasions in the greater Cyrildene and surrounding areas, where criminal syndicates have been employing dog-poisoning tactics to neutralise household security before forced entry.”
Rob Crawford, the community policing forum chairperson for the Bruma, Cyrildene and De Wetshof areas, said he didn’t remember a time where there were so many dog poisonings and home invasions occurred at the same time. “I do not remember it being as linked or as prevalent as in the last three months in this area. So in my opinion, this is a new trend in the area and is linked,” he said.
“Hopefully they have been stopped after the arrests [in Cyrildene] last week. Only time will tell.”
Police spokesperson Lt Col Mpho Tshetlhane said police were investigating a case of cruelty to animals following the poisoning of more than 10 dogs in De Wetshof last month. “Police investigations are continuing,” Tshetlhane.
“Residents are strongly urged to keep their dogs indoors at night. Be vigilant, check your property and yard regularly for suspicious items, such as meat, thrown into your yard.”
- This story was produced by Our City News, a non-profit newsroom that serves the people of Johannesburg.
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