A word from Johnny

So we are fully into Spring now Woodrockers and we have had a very busy September so far! Doing some stats for the year so far it appears that Woodrock has homed approximately 300 dogs. Each and every person on our team is an essential piece in our success. Johnny is a volunteer walker who has become one such member of the Woodrock family. He appears without a doubt every Saturday bearing a smile, miscellaneous donated supplies and a positive work ethic- this week he has given his voice to the blog. I asked him what it is like to volunteer and how his history has affected this.

Hallo to all you animal lovers reading this blog. Let me first of introduce myself. My name is Johnny Wiid. I am a retired police detective of the SAPS. I was born on the West Rand, attended Florida Park High School and after completing my schooling joined the SAPS. During my career as detective I had close relationships with various animal rescue organizations regarding animals being abandoned, strays and (in particular) abused. I have found that being exposed to the wide variety of animal abuses enabled me to make a practical contribution to the rehabilitation of rescued animals. It is a small contribution but one that can help make a difference. I have now devoted my time to help rehabilitate abused animals.

 

You too can make a difference and can also pat yourself on the back by saying, “I had a part in making a difference of an abused animal,” simply by donating financially, any animal equipment or food. Remember rescue organizations depend on donations to successfully provide an abused animal a second chance in life.

 

I want to share with you my personal experience with animal abuse in the criminal world, no I am not discussing dog fights that are illegal and the horrific injuries sustained by this barbaric entertainment. (I have never experienced  an investigation of a dog fight as this was investigated by a specialised unit within the detective service.) The suburbs where I had to perform detective duties was in the heart where illegal drugs, firearms and liquor was being distributed and where “gangsters ruled” was rife. As some of you are not aware, four (4) types of dog breeds are utilized by these unscrupulous people, to whom will be referred to as dealers, to guard their premises against rival gangs and alert them when the police have arrived to search and confiscate any illegal commodities found on the premises as well as to effect an arrest. The breeds are Pit Bulls Terriers, Bull Terriers, Doberman (Mainly black coloured) and English Bull Mastiff. The Pit Bull Terrier is the most popular breed utilized amongst these dealers. The dealers confine the dog by placing a rope or an industrial chain of two (2)meters in length around the neck of the dog and attach the chain or rope to an immoveable object. The dogs movement is limited to a small area day in and day out. Shelters are not always provided for the dog. Taking the dog out for exercise is non-existent. The dog is placed at a strategic point on the premises preventing access to the premises by rival dealers or to delay the police from gaining access in order to dispose the illegal commodities. This delay tactic was one of many causes that the dealer of illegal commodities was escaping justice. At a crime combatting meeting a plan was devised on how to over come various obstructions encountered at these illegal distribution outlets and to include various roll players to participate in the operation. One of the many roll players included was the assistance of an animal rescue organisation to remove any dogs obstructing access points. (e.g. Front door or back door.)

 

Myself, together with a team of detectives and various roll players, which included members of an animal rescue organisation then carried out a raid on a premises where illegal commodities were being distributed. The Pit Bull Terrier that was chained near to the front gate was being controlled with a control pole by a member of the animal rescue organisation. Seconds after the dog was under control, detectives gained access to the premises. After arresting the owner of the house for the possession of illegal commodities we discovered he was also the owner of the dog being controlled with a control pole at the gate. There was a further four (4) Pit Bull Terriers confined by means of an industrial chain at strategic points on the premises.  One of the Pit Bull Terriers ears were cropped indicating was used in dog fights but this could not be verified conclusively. Another Pit Bull Terrier was found in the bathroom.  At the points where the dogs were confined there  was no bowls in sight for food or water or if the bowls were available the bowls were dry and empty.  The owner of the dogs failed to contact any person to care for the dogs and realising that he would be incarcerated for an undetermined length of time he surrendered all the animals to the animal rescue organisation.

Sadly, not all of these dogs can be rehabilitated and the final decision on the future of these dogs rests with animal rescue organisation. Also bare in mind that these dogs rescued under these conditions are anti-social, in poor condition and sickly. This type of dog has never been taken to a veterinary surgeon to be inoculated or treated for any ailment it might had contracted. In most of the cases where I dealt with the investigation of the distribution of illegal commodities the scenario was similar as I have described. In some instances when the penetration of illegal outlets was to be executed immediately there was no time to assemble all the roll players, the control of the dog at the vital access point was controlled by myself, having obtained a control pole, allowing detectives to carry out their tasks. I must add that the removal of  these abused dogs from these illegal outlets was one of the many contributions that led to a decrease in the illegal distributions of commodities in some of the suburbs targeted.

 

Now for a rescue that has a more happier conclusion. Myself and a colleague were driving through one the suburbs where we perform our duties as police officials, when we noticed a brown coloured dog with blood on its face and throat area. A short length of rope was dangling from its throat area. It was obvious that the dog had escaped from where ever he was confined or as it sometimes occurred escaped from where his human captives attempted to hang him on a structure or tree for being a nuisance. After bringing the car to a stop, my colleague approached the dog from the front while I approached the dog from the rear. Neither of us knowing how the dog was to react when we confronted it. The dog was of medium size and of a mixed breed. I was able to grab the dog from the rear and pick him up while my colleague calmed down the dog. We put the dog in the car and drove to a nearby animal rescue organisation that had a hospital on the premises and a veterinary surgeon on standby. On arrival at the hospital, the veterinary surgeon examined the dog and found that the rope was embedded in the flesh of the neck and had torn into the throat. The embedded rope was methodically and painstakingly removed. The veterinary surgeon discovered that the open wound was septic and could not be stitched until the septicaemia had cleared. I left the dog in the care of the hospital staff.  date I have no idea how the dog sustained these horrific injuries. Nobody enquired about the dog’s whereabouts neither did anyone  come forward to claim him.

Three(3) months after this rescue I was informed that the dog now named Lucky had fully recovered from his injuries. Lucky and Highway (A three legged Jack Russel Terrier that had his hind leg amputated after being run over by a motor vehicle) was Lucky’s kennel mate were adopted by a wine farmer and his wife. Lucky and Highway are living their second chance in true luxury.

 

I will leave you with a thought of an interesting statement of an animal behaviourist concerning the bad behaviour of a dog, “Don’t blame the dog for its bad behaviour. Blame the owner.”

 

Until next time and continue to be an animal lover.

 

Johnny Wiid