EC toddler killed in pit bull attack

POLICE in the Eastern Cape have reported a pit bull that mauled a 15-month-old child to death in East London to the SPCA.

The child was attacked by the pit bull on Wednesday and succumbed to his injuries in hospital, police said.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana said the child was playing with the neighbours' dog when it attacked him in the Gonubie Farm area.

Kinana said police have registered an inquest for investigation and the incident has also been reported to the SPCA.

“It is alleged that the pit bull attempted to get out of the yard while barking at the passing dog. After failing to leave the yard, the pit bull is alleged to have returned to the child and bit him in the upper body.

“Subsequent to the incident, the paramedics were called to transport the child to a nearby hospital, where he was reported to have succumbed to injuries sustained,” he said.

It is the third incident of a child being killed by the breed this month.

In the Free State on Sunday, a three-year-old boy was mauled to death by two pit bulls while playing in a neighbour's yard.

A week earlier, a pit bull attacked and mauled to death an 8-year-old boy who was reportedly playing alone outside his home in Bloemfontein.

The Pit Bull Federation of South Africa said the tragedies were prevalent because of a lack of accountability by dog owners.

“We have repeatedly questioned why negligent owners are not prosecuted for their dogs' actions.

“It is never too late to enforce existing laws.

“This dangerous narrative needs to stop being spread and victims must know they have rights and they must open cases and they must not let the police turn them away.

“We are here because law enforcement did not do what it was tasked to do and it should not be given the opportunity to continue this lack of action,” they said.

The Sizwe Kupelo Foundation has reiterated its call for a ban on pit bulls as domestic pets, saying the latest incident was among a string of attacks by the breed.

A petition by the organisation calling for a ban has garnered over 120 000 signatures.

“Though it won't bring back the little one, we are calling on law enforcement agencies to leave no stone unturned in ensuring the owner of the dog is held to account.

“The courts should send a strong message to other pit bull lovers, by sentencing owners of dogs who have attacked and killed people to lengthy prison terms,” the organisation said.

This comes amid reports that dogs have been surrendered by their owners to SPCA branches across the country.

TEARS operations manager, Mandy Store said: “The reason for tragedies involving dog attacks is that animal ownership and breeding is unregulated.

“The banning of a particular breed of dog is not the solution and would only be treating a symptom of the overall problem. After all, no dog is exempt from displaying undesirable traits.

“The reality is that it's simply too easy for breeders and irresponsible owners to either intentionally train and breed dogs for these undesirable qualities, or to neglect to provide the adequate training and socialisation needed to prevent those qualities from developing.”