People call dogs the most loyal of all companions and I was loyal to you. Each day you came home, I came running along happily hoping that I could finally see you after a long day of work. I would run up to you with a heart full of love and excitement. My tail and my voice could not stop shaking at the thought of seeing you. I was so excited!
I came running, but you weren’t happy to see me and soon I had realized that the love I wanted to give was not returned. My tail went in between my legs as you pushed me to the ground. At first I thought you were playing as you sat over me holding me so tightly to the ground that I could feel my breath leaving my lungs. Then I felt it once, twice, three times – a burning sensation as you struck me and my hearing became muffled.
I knew I had to get away, I thought that if I could escape that I wouldn’t make you mad, although I didn’t understand what I did wrong. Was I not your companion any more or was I not worthy of being man’s best friend? As I fled with my tail now in between my legs you rushed at me and then I felt it once, twice – a numbing pain as you kicked me.
I ran to the kennel you put there for me and my sister, the smallest place where we felt safe and secure, all to get away from you, thinking that everything would be ok and at least if I huddle up against my sister, I would be safe. I thought I would be able to catch my lost breath and if I hid with my sister, maybe you would come to us and love us. I was wrong again.
I felt our kennel shake and saw your hands coming in. I thought finally you would mend my wounds and you would touch me as lovingly as I always approach you, and then we felt it. Our bodies, our faces, our jaws all started to hurt as you repeatedly hit us again, again and again. We felt the kennel drop and I knew you would not help heal our wounds and we were left scared, hurt, and alone. We knew that from now on we would be your punching bag and as you walked away you looked so proud of yourself like what you did to us was a job well done.
That night I could hardly hear the yelling through my burst eardrum, I could only hear the blare of horns and the sound of bakkies everywhere and then suddenly I saw a man wearing a white and blue uniform softly call out to me, “Kom seuntjie, kom, dis oukei”. I felt a soft touch across my face and a gentle hand slowly start to pet me. I was scared at first, because I was not accustomed to a soft hand. I felt the warmest hands pick me up and felt the man strongly draw me against him. This time it didn’t hurt, I just felt warm and for the first time that day, I knew my sister and I were safe. I saw you when we walked past you and as I looked into your angry eyes for the last time, I knew we would never be hurt by you again.
Inspectors from the Bloemfontein SPCA confiscated two bull terriers in a residence in Uitsig Bloemfontein earlier this month.” The dog urinated each time I touched him, but when I finally lifted him up and gained his trust, I could feel him press his head tightly against my shoulders, almost like he knew that he didn’t need to be scared anymore” said Inspector Werner Botha from Bloemfontein SPCA. Inspectors and staff from the Bloemfontein SPCA were shocked and disgusted by the incident and swiftly acted to take the dogs away from the abusive owner.
A case of animal cruelty has been opened against the owner and no dog will be his punching bag again. – Bloemfontein SPCA
