Theft of pets by suspected dog syndicate on the rise

By Shaanaaz de Jager and Barbara Hollands

A PORT Elizabeth family’s bull terrier

has been stolen three times in the past two months – allegedly by a man linked to dog fighting

– as concern grows that the inhumane fights are increasing around the province.

The incident comes as scores of East London residents are reporting theft of their dogs, particularly muscular breeds like pit bulls, traditionally used in dog fighting.

In a bizarre turn of events this week, Gerrard Noah of Windvogel in Port Elizabeth was bitten

by a crossbreed pit bull while

retrieving his two-year-old dog

from a garden in Helenvale. The dog, Teemo, was stolen on Saturday night.

While he was handing out flyers appealing for the missing dog to be returned at the Animal Anti-Cruelty League (AACL) offices at Cleary Park on Tuesday, he was approached by one of the workers who said she had treated the dog earlier in the day.

"The AACL worker told me where she saw my dog Teemo,” Noah said.

"I went to the back of the yard – there were three other dogs chained up – and someone

pointed towards a kennel. I looked inside and he [Teemo] was lying there, covered in bite marks, chained and shivering.

"I grabbed him but one of the other dogs broke free and ripped my dog from my arms and started biting him. I grabbed my dog but then another dog leapt up and bit me on my arms and hands.”

He said someone at the house told him they

bought his dog

from a man for R50.

Noah rushed Teemo to AACL to get stitched up and went to St George’s Hospital so that his own wounds could be treated.

"I went to the police to open a case of theft and assault.”

Police spokesman Captain Johan Rheeder said people could lay a complaint of dog theft, but this did not happen often.

"Also it is not easy to prove your dog was stolen.”

He said catching people in the act of overseeing a dog fight was

rare.

However, East London residents are sure dog fights are taking place as their dogs are stolen at an alarming rate.

Amalinda resident Shakira van Wyk said her family’s purebred eight-month-old bull terrier was stolen from her home a few months ago.

"We spent days looking everywhere for him and put up a reward, but

never found him.” Two weeks ago her replacement bull terrier came close to being stolen.

"We heard our basset hound barking and my husband, an ex-policeman, found children walking off with it down the road. He chased them and at the bottom of the road he saw two well-dressed men holding a dog chain.”

Van Wyk said the men told her husband

the dogs were taken for dog fighting.

Pet Pals animal sanctuary spokeswoman Sue Kriel said puppies were disappearing from yards "never to be found again”.

"They steal dogs because they know there’s money in it. It is so sad because these dogs are disappearing off the face of the earth.”

This is a shortened version of an article that appeared in the print edition of the Weekend Post on Saturday, September 22, 2012.