A family's life was turned upside down when a swarm of bees from a neighbour's hive attacked their dogs, killing two, in Germiston, South Africa. On September 23, Mathys Kruger received a distressing message from his daughter Alyssa, 18, who was at home with her brother Peyton, 14, doing online schooling. The bees had swarmed into their yard, attacking the family's five dogs and flying into the house.
Kruger rushed home to find his children and dogs in a state of panic. The siblings had shut themselves and one of the dogs, a German Shepherd puppy named Bliksem, in a bedroom to escape the bees. The other dogs had taken shelter in a storage hut in the garden. Kruger had to cut openings into the hut to pull them out, but unfortunately, two of the dogs, Luna, a Jack Russell, and Odin, a large mixed-breed dog, had already succumbed to the bee stings.
The two surviving dogs, eight-year-old brothers Paizel and Shadow, were rushed to the vet for treatment and sent home with medication. Kruger tried to ease their suffering by pouring vinegar over them to alleviate the stings. The next day, the brothers were a bit more responsive, and by the third day, they could walk again and their tails were wagging. Despite the ordeal, Kruger has tried to persuade his neighbour, Graham Findlay, to have the hive removed or moved to a safer location.
However, Findlay is not budging, insisting that his bees are peaceful and only an occasional nuisance. He blames the barking of Kruger's two noisiest dogs for provoking the swarm. Findlay believes that moving the hive would interfere with the pollination of fruit in the district and claims that he has a right to keep the bees. He says the bees generally fly over Kruger's house to a nearby spruit, where they gather nectar from blue gum trees.
The dispute has highlighted the regulations surrounding beekeeping in Ekurhuleni. Section 123 of the municipality's public health by-laws requires hives to be at least 5m from any property boundary and 20m from a public place, home, or enclosure housing animals. The by-laws also stipulate that bees must be kept in an approved hive box, in an area inaccessible to children and animals.
Kruger has reported the incident to the Ekurhuleni metro police department (EMPD), but has received no response. The EMPD spokesperson, Lt-Col Kelebogile Thepa, was not available for comment. The incident has left Kruger frustrated and concerned for his family's safety. He had contacted a bee expert who can remove the hive, but needs Findlay's permission to do so.
The situation remains unresolved, with Findlay refusing to move the hive and Kruger seeking action to protect his family and pets. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of responsible pet ownership and neighbourly cooperation.
Key points
- Two dogs died after being attacked by a swarm of bees from a neighbour's hive in Germiston, South Africa.
- The neighbour, Graham Findlay, refuses to move the hive, citing its importance for pollination and his right to keep the bees.
- The incident has highlighted the regulations surrounding beekeeping in Ekurhuleni, which require hives to be kept at a safe distance from properties and public areas.
