The Department of Agriculture is set to meet with an organisation the is pushing for a ban on pit bulls as a Cape Town woman fights for her life after she was attacked by three dogs in Penhill on Thursday.
Also read: Cape Town woman suffers “gruesome injuries” in pit bull attack
The victim is currently in a stable condition in the Tygerberg Hospital after she was scalped by two rottweiler cross-breeds and a pit last week.
While the owner of the dogs cannot be identified until he is charged, he told the Weekend Argus that his dogs had been removed by law enforcement, adding that the incident had been a traumatic experience.
“The dogs were behind the gate and the woman had been passing,” he told reporters. “The dogs pushed the gates open and the woman jumped to me for protection and this was when my dogs were in protective mode.”
“It all happened so fast and it was a sad accident and my dogs are like my family, I live alone with them, they thought something was happening to me.”
Law Enforcement spokesperson Inspector Wayne Dyason confirmed that they had removed the dogs, and the owner would face charges.
“The officers on scene confirmed that only three dogs were on the property. One dog was confiscated Thursday and the other two were removed yesterday. The dogs were taken to the SPCA.
“The owner of the dogs will be charged in terms of the Animal Keeping By-Law. The City cannot speculate on the outcome of the case. The victim can also open a case at the South African Police Service(SAPS).”
Speaking to the Cape Argus, eyewitness and neighbour, Julia Maranyane, said that she had called authorities following the horrific attack and that her eight-year-old grandson had managed to escape unscathed after they had been attacked by the same dogs last year.
“We heard calls for help, which were placed on our community WhatsApp group.”
“When we rushed outside, the woman was already being assisted by residents. It was a terrible sight. I could not sleep on Thursday night. I could see her skull,” she said.
“We are calling for the dogs to be removed because the owner does not make sure that the gates are locked. However, the owner did attempt to protect the woman from the dogs and tried to cover her,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Sizwe Kupelo Foundation, last month, handed in a petition to government, calling for a ban on pit bulls.
The petition, with nearly 140 000 signatures, came in the wake of the death of a 10-year-old in Gelvande, Gqebera, last year. There have subsequently been several similar incidents across the country.
“We had a brief telephone conversation with the chief of staff (of the department of agriculture) who indicated that the department is already conducting research on the matter and will arrange a meeting with the foundation,” stated the author of the petition, Sizwe Kupelo.
Spokesperson for the department, Reggie Ngcobo, confirmed that they had received the petition and were discussing a way forward.
Also read:
SAVA calls for better regulation to reduce human-pit bull conflict
Picture: Facebook/ Titanium Securitas
