‘It’s a breed that has turned against its owner’
ALL pit bulls in the country ought to be taken by the police and given to dog units to be utilised for patrolling disused mines and other operations, and not be allowed in communities or homes.
“It’s a breed that has turned against its owners and attacked people walking down the street. This dog has a killer instinct and is an animal that is unpredictable,” says the Sizwe Kupelo Foundation.
Sizwe Kupelo is at the front line of a battle over the lineage of pit bulls in South Africa alongside several other organisations, that have launched petitions for the castration and sterilisation of the “vicious” breed.
A petition by the Sizwe Kupelo Foundation calling for the ban of pit bulls as domestic pets in South Africa has gained 37 700 signatures.
The Umtata-based organisation said the petition was triggered by the attack on a 10-year-old from Gelvandale, Gqeberha, and other pit bull attacks, particularly on young children recently
Sizwe Kupelo, founder of the organisation that looks after the interest of vulnerable children, said they had heard of a number of attacks involving children, and after analysing many other cases across the country, felt it was time for the government to intervene.
He said that the organisation was not calling for the killing of the breed.
Citing the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza, Minister of Police Bheki Cele, Minister of Health Joe Phaahla as well as Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele, the foundation urged decision-makers to consider castrating all male pit bulls, and sterilising female ones.
“We want them banned with immediate effect, and the government has to take time to ensure the dog is removed from society, because it has killed a number of people and it continues to kill. We are prompted by the Constitution which guarantees everyone the right to life.
“We cannot continue counting bodies because of a breed that is not supposed to be a domestic animal and this is why we want it declassified and for police to take steps,” Kupelo said
He said although they understood the frustration of pit bull owners, the organisation was fighting in the interest of human life, especially children.
Kupelo added South Africa would not be the only country taking this route.
To date countries such as Finland, Denmark, the UK, Portugal, Singapore, the Netherlands, Poland, France, Germany and Puerto Rico had banned and put restrictions on the ownership of the breed or its importation.
The reasons for the partial bans in these countries varied on the basis of how the dog behaved, and why people owned them, Kupelo said.
A counter-petition against the foundation's bid calling for the ban of pit bull was started by dog lover Theo Kruger and has gained a fair share of support, at more than 2 900 signatures.
“We as pit bull owners and lovers of this great breed are tired of these socalled experts who have no idea about pit bull breeds and then want to ban them, like the Sizwe Kupelo Foundation,” reads the petition.
Police Ministry spokesperson Lirandzu Themba confirmed the they had received the organisation’s letter. However, they could not comment further at this stage.
Similar sentiments were expressed by the Health Department's Foster Mohale, who indicated that the letter was being processed with regard to the health aspects raised.