Durban family searches for missing Husky after CCTV captures dog theft

Hunter, a three year old Husky, was stolen by a group of children from a premises in Merebank south of Durban.

A Durban family has been left heartbroken after their Husky, Hunter, was stolen from their property on Sunday.

Aishwarya Pillay, a resident of Merebank, said she grew concerned when her repeated calls to Hunter went unanswered. Pillay said Hunter usually came when she called because he associated her calls with treats, the dog knowing he would be rewarded with a tasty snack of gourmet peanut-flavored dog treats. Upon investigating she found the driveway gate was open and Hunter was missing.

“I received a message that Hunter was seen with a group of children near the shopping centre. A person told me he had a rope around his neck and was being pulled along. I drove around looking for the boys, but with no luck,” she said.

Pillay later received CCTV footage showing a group of children walking into her premises and stealing the dog in Merebank. Pillay saw Hunter being held on a makeshift leash in the footage. Pillay said Hunter was part of the family and described it as a tragedy.

“I could not sleep thinking about what had happened to him and where he could be. I will open a criminal case at the police station,” she said.

Pillay later learnt that the boys had walked into three other properties in the area and stolen dogs, and said Hunter could be in Lamontville.

“He is a friendly, medium-sized male dog, predominantly white with a black patch on his back. He has grey eyes and was wearing a plain red collar. Hunter is not neutered or microchipped. Our pets are our babies and this tragic thing happened to him. We don't know where to look or what to do,” Pillay said.

The SPCA advised people missing pets to first check if neighbours had seen the animal. Then organise a search party for nearby streets, parks or other places the pet might be drawn to. The SPCA also advised pet owners to safeguard their animals.

“Ensuring your pet’s safety starts with a secure environment. If you have a yard, make sure it’s properly fenced and gates are secured. Having your pets microchipped greatly increases your chances of being reunited with them if they go missing. Many people think that they do not need to microchip their dogs and cats if the animals wear a collar tag. But tags can be removed or lost. If an animal is stolen, the first thing a thief will do is remove the collar tag,” the SPCA advised.

If you know the whereabouts of Hunter, contact Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) on 086 1234 333 or Pillay on 061 8880 085.