Call to ban ‘lethal’ pitbulls as pets
CASTRATE male pitbulls, sterilise the females and ban pitbulls as pets.
This is the feeling of one organisation that has addressed its call to three government departments.
Following the death of 10-year-old Storm Nuku, killed by his family’s pitbulls, the Sizwe Kupelo Foundation has called for the breed to be banned as pets.
Founder and patron Sizwe Kupelo has written to Police Minister Bheki Cele, Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla and Agriculture Minister Thoko Didiza.
Kupelo has called for the castration of male pitbulls and the sterilisation of female pitbulls. The foundation also wants the “unpredictable dogs” to be removed from all South African homes.
This week, the Eastern Cape-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) said it was willing to defend its call in court should the need arise. If the foundation has its way, South Africa would join countries such as China and Russia, the UK, and Portugal in banning the breed.
Kupelo said the main issue was that pitbulls were responsible for several serious attacks involving children.
“This is not an animal that can be kept as a domestic animal; it should be classified as a wild animal,” he said.
“Laws applicable to those wild animals should apply to this breed. We are not advocating for the killing of the breed, we are calling for the declassification of the breed.”
But Pitbull Federation of South Africa (PBFSA ) spokesperson Lins Rautenbach has argued the move to ban pitbulls would not be sufficient in curbing attacks.
“The PBFSA acknowledges and understands the anger and frustration felt by the communities. They are not wrong to feel this way.
“Banning pitbulls might seem like the only solution, but they don’t work. The kinds of owners whose dogs are causing carnage will move to the next powerful breed and so the cycle will continue.”
Rautenbach said the problem was multifaceted and was fuelled by overbreeding and mass breeding for profit without considering temperament.
“Temperament is genetic. Humandirected aggression is largely genetic. It’s a serious fault in the pitbull. Poorly bred dogs are ticking time bombs.”
National Council of SPCAS spokesperson Keshvi Nair said it was an absolute tragedy that people, especially children and the elderly, continue to be attacked and mauled by dogs.
“There are a number of contributing factors as to why dog attacks end up occurring, one of which is the fact that it is too easy for people who have no experience in handling power breeds, to own power breed dogs.,” Nair said.
Former manager of the NSPCA special investigations unit, Wendy Wilson, said the move to ban the breed had failed.
Wilson said it was also difficult to distinguish the breed without DNA tests.
“Right now we do not have the resources to enforce a breed ban, and even in countries that have resources and fantastic laws and have banned the breed, like the UK, they have very limited success,” Wilson said.
The agriculture ministry confirmed it had received Kupelo’s letter while the police and health ministries were yet to confirm the letters had been received.