Two accounts of conflict on hiking trail
AN INCIDENT involving a dog owner and a SANParks official at Silvermine resulted in charges being laid by both parties.
Beryl Penny said she was walking on the hiking trail with her seven dogs.
“While I was walking, this park ranger came up to me and told me about how many dogs I had, and I said: ‘Yes, I know, I need to have a permit.’” Penny said.
According to the rules of SANParks, you need to have a permit to walk three or more dogs.
“I admit I was in the wrong, so I walked away and he drove behind me and grabbed me and shoved me. I have bruises all over my body,” Penny said. She said she started fighting back to defend herself.
She opened a case of assault with the police but received a call days later to inform her that she was facing a charge of assault herself.
SANParks, however, has rejected Penny’s version of events. “She was requested by the ranger sergeant to produce an activity permit that is standard practice.
“She became verbally and physically abusive towards the ranger and struck him with a leash and had the dogs (pitbulls and bull terriers) attack and maul not only the one ranger. but others as well,” spokesperson Janine Raftopoulos said.
She said the ranger was bit on the left thigh, close to the groin.