Healthy dog put down

2004-08-06 07:16

Christel Raubenheimer

Pretoria - They could choose only one pet to bring to South Africa.

The Hanekom family chose Betsie, a 12-year-old Jack Russell, but after she survived the draining 3 000km trip from Pemba in the north of Mozambique, she was summarily put down at the border post. The officials felt she could transmit foot-and-mouth disease.

"The only thing the kids brought along was this little dog. She was a fat, healthy, alert character.

"Everybody loved her. It was a question of life and death.

"And now she is dead.

"There are emotions and sentiments involved. They're working with people - we're not a herd of cattle," said Francis Hanekom, Betsie's owner.

The family has been running a business in Pemba in Mozambique for the past 12 years. Hanekom is now working in South Africa so that their school-going children can take part in extra-curricular activities.

They have various pets in Mozambique, ranging from boa constrictors and bush babies they nursed and released, to other dogs.

Inoculated and declared healthy

An official at the South African border post apparently said Betsie may go through the border post. Another official, however, insisted it was his jurisdiction and the dog should be put down, Hanekom said.

Her husband quickly signed a paper after he was told to do so. The dog was taken away and put down.

Before the trip, they took the dog to a vet in Pemba where she was innoculated and declared healthy, Hanekom said.

She said they did not have the option of taking the dog back to Mozambique or putting her in quarantine.

A Pretoria vet said it is unlikely for a dog to transmit foot-and-mouth disease. The danger of other disease does exist, though.

Procedures are followed when pets are brought into the country, depending on the country from which they come.

Andries Venter, a national inspector at the national society for the protection of animals, said if an official at the border post was not familiar with diseases and species, he or she might refuse to let an animal cross the border.

"You can basically do nothing - you either have to turn around with the dog or have it placed in quarantine."

- Beeld