Ridgeback loses eye after shooting
2010-11-18
Lise Beyers
"It was a malicious, cowardly act.” These were the words of a dog owner, after his dog was shot in the eye with a pellet gun, presumably at point-blank range. The incident took place recently in the Windmeul area, while the co-owner of Ridgeback Wine Estate, Vanessa Cole, had taken one of the family’s three Ridgeback dogs for a walk. Just before she returned to the farm house, Chimani, a seven-year-old neutered dog, ran off between the vines. “He loves to roam, but soon follows me home.” And so Chimani did return a short while later, disappearing into his kennel for the evening. But the next morning the Cole family realised with shock that something serious had happened. “His eye was swollen to the size of a tennis ball,” said Vernon Cole, “and it was shut so tight that we could not open it to see what had happened.” Chimani was rushed to a local vet, who in turn advised them to immediately take him to a specialist in Cape Town. It was established that Chimani had been shot in the eye and that the pellet was lodged in his head, close to his ear. The specialist told the family that it was too dangerous to operate to remove the pellet, but that his eye had to be removed. There is a good possibility that Chimani will continue a relatively normal life with the pellet still in his head. But the Cole family are irate about the incident. They love and respect their dogs so much, that they even named their farm after them. “Our dogs are enclosed in our large garden and only come out when we take them for walks. “Chimani has previously gone walk-about when he is taken for a walk, but he always comes home soon. All our neighbours know our dogs. We have never had a complaint about any of them. “If somebody did have a problem, why not come and talk to us, instead of shooting him in the eye?” The Coles have laid a charge of cruelty to animals at Paarl Police Station, who are investigating the matter. They have also offered a reward to anyone who can help them to identify the suspect. They can be contacted on 021-869-8988.
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