When Ben Street, Erasmia resident, Ronel Mostert (46) awoke to suspicious sounds during the early hours of Friday morning (January 19) at around 2am, she let her dogs, a Great Dane and two cross breed Jack Russels, out of the house.
Speaking to the Laudium Sun, Ronel related that about 20 minutes later, and after being unable to sleep, she realised that her beloved dogs were unusually quiet. This was not normal. She then ventured outside together with her son (23) to check what the matter was, and was shocked to see her dogs lying practically comatose. At the same time, she spotted her neighbour Stanley in his yard who then alerted her, that he suspected that his dogs had been poisoned. Stanley told Ronel that he had seen suspicious characters run off from his yard and suspects that they had poisoned all the dogs, with sinister intentions. Ronel added that her neighbour had already called veterinary doctor, Moodley Pulen of the Erasmia Veterinary Clinic. “Not every vet will respond to a distress call at around 2 in the morning, and work tirelessly to save six very ill dogs. Erasmia is fortunate to have such a wonderful veterinary clinic,” Ronel said.
Vet, Moodley Pulen confirmed to the Laudium Sun that the animals, three Boerboels belonging to Stanley, together with a Great Dane and two cross breed Jack Russels belonging to Ronel, were poisoned with Aldicarb which is a highly toxic and deadly substance. The poison is known as Two Step, and is so called, because the animal that consumes it apparently just takes two steps, before collapsing. The vet added that criminals mix the poison with eggs and feed it to the dogs. Pulen detailed, “They do this so that they can break into and rob houses. When the dogs were examined they were having fits and vomiting. I administered drips to the dogs but, sadly, one of the male Boerboels died on the table. The Great Dane, which was about three years old, died late on Friday afternoon. The female Boerboel, Hazel, is still on a drip at the clinic. The other three dogs are recovering.
“The criminals in our area are cruel. This poison is so toxic that it can kill a dog instantly, leaving people's homes unprotected,” Pulen concluded.
Ronel added that the experience was traumatic and scary and that they were heartbroken to lose their beloved Great Dane, Jamaica. The Erasmia homeowner concluded that they would now be stepping up on security at their house.
Moodley Pulen of the Erasmia Veterinary Clinic responded to a distress call at 2am.
Ronel Mostert’s beloved dogs were poisoned by cruel criminals.
The two houses on the corner of Ben and Bodenstein Streets, where the dogs were poisoned.