Two brothers allegedly murdered their own father after he beat the family’s dog to death, police say.

The brothers, who have not been named are aged 27 and 28, were arrested after the death of their 74-year-old father in South Africa. The father died in the hospital with serious head injuries. 

On Sunday, the pair allegedly attacked their father at their family home and were arrested in Mbotyi, outside the town of Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape province, at 18:00 p.m. local time, authorities said. 

South African Police Service spokesperson sergeant Kaya Matola-Mvanyashe told the local press: “According to the information, the deceased was with his family, wife, and daughter in his residence when the deceased assaulted the dog until it died, the reason being that it allegedly ate eggs and bit domestic animals.”

The brothers then attacked their father, who died at the local St. Elizabeth Hospital, said Matola-Mvanyashe. The brothers fled in a bid to go into hiding, the spokesperson noted, but were caught, arrested and each charged with murder. 

According to the SAPS, the brothers are due to appear in court on Wednesday. 

The alleged murder comes only four years after another young South African man was handed three life sentences in prison for the ax murders of his parents and brother.

Henri van Breda, 23, hacked his wealthy brother and parents to death at their luxury home in Stellenbosch in 2015. Van Breda also tried to butcher his 16-year-old sister, but she survived the attack and did not regain any memory of the horrific day. 

The 23-year-old also deliberately wounded himself and initially claimed a Black ax man had broken into the home and attacked him too. However, there were no signs of a break-in, no valuables were taken, and Van Breda’s injuries were minor compared to the violence inflicted on the rest of the family, who had just moved to South Africa from Australia. 

While sentencing him, Judge Siraj Desai said “these attacks display a high level of innate cruelty and an almost unprecedented disregard for the welfare of one’s own family, one’s parents and siblings. Each murderous attack upon a family member constitutes a very serious crime, warranting the severest penalty possible.”