The street value of death: R15
The cost of the life of a loved one has never been so cheap to heartless criminals.
JOHANNESBURG SOUTH – How cheap has death become on the streets of Johannesburg? The Special Operations Group (SOG) went out of their way to inform residents who have lost loved ones due to this deadly substance being easily available to dangerous criminals.
Security Company Special Operations Group Chief Executive Officer, Du Toit Lambrechts requested one of his security officers to find out just how easy it was to get a hold of the poison which has seen many residents lose their canines just before their homes are ransacked by thieves.
According to the SOG security guard’s findings, the street value of the deadly poison which only takes a reported five minutes to kill a dog, is only R15. The deadly dog poison is called Two-step or “Ternik” and can be ordered at your nearest taxi rank from a middleman who gets it from sellers in the townships.
Recently, SOG held a campaign where they took to the streets to pass out flyers which educate residents on Two-step, the symptoms, the damage it has on an animal and how dog owners can administer dog poison first aid in time to save their pets. Their initiative was also picked up by the Glenvista Community Policing Forum, who posted the information on their Facebook page on December 5.
Dog poisoning with criminal intent is reportedly a common occurrence in South Africa, with similar tactics having been used in the olden days in former Rhodesia by terrorists to carry out the same mandate; get rid of the primary warning, which is the dog.
Mondeor SAPS Spokesperson, Sibongile Mnguni says that although dog poisoning with criminal intent is prevalent in many areas, residents need to be aware that the poisoning of their dog before a house robbery or attempted house robbery is essential when reporting a case to the police.
“It has to be reported that a dog/ dogs were poisoned when a house was robbed because that is a case on its own and the information will also come in handy when the statistics are passed on to the NSPCA,” said Warrant Officer Mnguni.
Tips on how residents can stay one step ahead of these criminals were given by Du Toit:
*Home owners should listen to the noise their dog makes, or for any disturbances. When they hear their dog barking, they must go out to have a look, because that could be when the criminals have thrown the Two-step poison into the yard.
*Avoid keeping your dogs in the front yard as criminals are more likely to be able to get access to your dog to feed it the poison. Du Toit advises that home owners should make it as difficult as possible for criminals to give the dog the poison.
*When the dog is heard barking, you should go out and inspect your yard for any suspicious plastics or meat that wasn’t given to the dogs by you. That will ensure that you get to the poison before your animal does. The best time to check your yard is always in the mornings, as the bait can lie there for a while before the dog gets it.
If you should find that your dog may have already eaten the poison and is already suffering from it, follow these steps for immediate treatment:
*Administer activated charcoal to slow down absorption (available from a chemist/ vet).
*Administer a laxative.
*Keep the animal warm with a light blanket.
*Check the yard thoroughly for more pieces of poison.
*Get your pet to a vet immediately – many dogs die within 20 minutes.
Please contact Du Toit Lambrechts on 011 907 6112 or 082 440 4466 for more information on first aid kits and how to use them. The CHRONICLE will do a follow-up to provide more information.
