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Two free-roaming dogs are still on the loose in the area of Viking Village in Kraaifontein where an estimated 28 pet cats have been attacked and killed in little over two months, the most recent attack being on 16 April.
Residents took to social media several weeks ago to warn other pet owners to keep their cats indoors at night.
Several community members also started to patrol the area and the dogs were spotted running over the railway line in the direction of Wallacedene.
The first known attack took place in Olympus Drive on 29 January, followed by two more in Norsemen Crescent on 3 and 10 February. On 12 February two attacks were reported in Camden and Butia Street, and another three in Sita and Shackleton Crescent a few days later.
Between 20 February and 24 March six more attacks were recorded in the surrounding areas, which include Zonnendal and Peerless Park North.
As of last week the tally was on 28.
A pattern
According to resident Christina Cocolaras who also lost her beloved cat in the early morning of 23 March, it has become evident that these incidents are not isolated occurrences, but rather part of a disturbing pattern of behaviour exhibited by the same dogs.
According to Cocolaras the predatory behaviour of the dogs is characterised by stealth and swiftness, which underscores the urgent need for action.
“These dogs are brazenly using our area as their hunting ground, targeting not only pets, but potentially posing a grave threat to the safety of our children and elderly residents,” she says.
The dogs are described as dark in colour and the size of Rottweilers. As nobody has yet come forward as owning the dogs, leading to residents to suspect that the dogs are stray.
Reporting the dogs
The SPCA advised residents that they require a location of the dogs before they could intervene. However, they did step in last week by reporting the animals to senior officials of the City’s relevant law enforcement department.
“The SPCA’s mandate is to enforce the Animals Protection Act. Our authority doesn’t extend to stray or free-roaming animals unless there is an incident of cruelty as defined by the Act.
“The animals keeping municipal by law enforced by law enforcement requires owners to be in control of their animals at all times and addresses both free roaming and aggressive animals,” SPCA spokesperson Belinda Abraham said to TygerBurger.
But according to resident Leana Steinhauser, law enforcement has advised that they don’t have the manpower or capacity to search and capture the two dogs.
“They have tried to assist us as best as they could, but by the time they get here the dogs are gone. I understand that their is not enough law enforcement officers and that they have hundreds of complaints to deal with. They simply do not have the time to run around after problem dogs,” says Steinhauser.
“We nearly managed to catch one of the dogs last weekend after enticing it with food, but it got away. We also noticed the other dog walking with a limp.”
The community is currently in the process to solicit the help of a local animal rescue organisation as some residents have now threatened to poison the dogs.
“The only way to capture the dogs will be to tranquillise them and that medication can’t be bough over the counter. We will need the help of a vet,” she says. “We need community members to continue to report attacks or sightings of the dogs.”
Contact Leana Steinhauser on 081 456 0913 to report attacks or sightings.
