{"id":514216,"date":"2026-03-02T16:46:17","date_gmt":"2026-03-02T16:46:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/514216\/"},"modified":"2026-03-02T16:46:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T16:46:17","slug":"bunnings-car-park-attack-on-dog-in-ute-sparks-urgent-investigation-appalling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/514216\/","title":{"rendered":"Bunnings car park attack on dog in ute sparks urgent investigation: ‘Appalling’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Police are investigating after a man appeared to kick a dog in the head outside a Bunnings store on Sunday. <\/a>Dashcam footage captured the confronting moment a man dressed in a black shirt and grey trousers approaches the back of the ute, where the dog was waiting for his owner.<\/p>\n

The man appears to lift his leg to kick at the dog. A second kick is delivered soon after, appearing to hit the dog in the jaw.<\/p>\n

Pet owner Hayden Palkovics, said he was shopping in the hardware giant’s Parafield store in South Australia<\/a> on Sunday when the incident unfolded.<\/p>\n

“This guy has kicked my dog in the head twice,” Hayden shared online, appealing for information about the stranger. “This low-life stranger has come up to my dog and booted her in the head twice,” he said.<\/p>\n

It’s understood that the footage was taken by another community member passing by.<\/p>\n

A Bunnings<\/a> spokesperson confirmed to Yahoo News the hardware giant is aware of the “deeply concerning” incident. “The safety and well-being of our customers, their pets and our team members is our top priority,” she said.<\/p>\n

“Any conduct that places people or animals at risk is unacceptable and has no place in or around our stores.”<\/p>\n

It comes as the store continues to grapple with rising crime across its stores. <\/a><\/p>\n

\"Bunnings<\/p>\n

The incident unfolded in the car park of Parafield Bunnings in South Australia. Source: Google<\/p>\n

Bunnings urged anyone with information to contact South Australia Police, who confirmed to Yahoo News that it is investigating the incident.<\/p>\n

“We will work with authorities in relation to their investigation if requested,” the Bunnings spokesperson added.<\/p>\n

It’s understood that the incident was not immediately reported to Bunnings staff. The company has a zero-tolerance approach to unsafe or inappropriate behaviour in stores.<\/p>\n

Customers are encouraged to report dangerous behaviour immediately.<\/p>\n

Incident described as ‘horrific’ attack on dog<\/p>\n

Palkovics added that his beloved pet is “already a rescue dog” and was “traumatised as a puppy.”<\/p>\n

“I now understand why my dog was skittish when we got home, and she now has a sore eye,” he said.<\/p>\n

Animal advocates described the incident as an “appalling” and “horrific attack” on an innocent animal.<\/p>\n

“This individual needs to be held accountable,” a spokesperson from Australians Against Animal Abuse Est 2016, said.<\/p>\n

The alleged offender was seen with an “orange or red Isuzu Dmax ute with a black wrap-around bull bar and snorkel with a large sticker below the brake light on the rear window”.<\/p>\n

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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