Horrific killings and maulings put pit bulls in the dog box
Gwen Vokes lost her arm when she tried to save her domestic worker from a pit bull that pinned the woman against a gate in Brackendowns, Alberton, two years ago.
The dog’s owners lived in the same street. The pet fled when Vokes turned a hosepipe on it, but it suddenly returned, ripping more than half her right arm off, biting her left thigh and tearing the artery under her left shoulder.
Vokes is one of more than 37,000 South Africans who have signed the Sizwe Kupelo Foundation petition to ban pit bulls, launched after 10-year-old Storm Nuku was killed by his family’s pit bulls in Gqeberha recently.
Foundation founder Sizwe Kupelo wrote to police minister Bheki Cele, health minister Joe Phaahla and agriculture minister Thoko Didiza, urging them to act against the breed.
Vokes told the Sunday Times this week: “It is a horrible thing to have lived through, but I can’t comprehend that as a child’s last experience of life.”
Kupelo did not know Nuku personally but became involved because his foundation “was established to help the vulnerable”.
He has called for the castration of male pit bulls and sterilisation of bitches.
The foundation also wants “unpredictable dogs” to be removed from South African homes.
“The call to ban pit bulls in South Africa comes as other countries like Russia, Finland, Denmark, the UK and Portugal, and parts of Germany, China, Brazil and Australia have either banned or put restrictions on ownership of the breed or its importation,” he said.
“It is time the government took decisive steps and imposed a complete ban on the ownership of pit bulls as domestic animals. Such a move would prevent further attacks and unnecessary deaths.”
Kupelo has received “hate mail”.
“We have noted the defensive response and arrogance displayed by those who appear to be pit bull owners. They are emotional, throwing insults and trying to drag all other power breeds into this ... Our view is that pit bulls cannot be compared to any other breed and statistics do not lie,” he said.
Cape Town dog behaviourist Taryn Blyth said pit bulls were developed as fighting dogs by genetically selecting from dogs that were easily triggered to grab, shake and kill other animals, including other dogs.
“To say pit bulls won’t be inclined to fight and do damage when they are triggered if you just love them enough is like saying border collies won’t be inclined to herd moving targets if you just love them enough. It is ridiculous to deny the genetic predisposition of the breed while acknowledging the predispositions of many other types of dogs,” she said.
“The maulings and killings by pit bulls are seldom a result of defensive aggression, that is, a dog biting because they are angry or afraid. Their behaviour, when mauling a person or another dog, is far more predatory in nature.”
In a statement this week, the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said that at first glance the petition may appear to be outrageous, especially to pit bull owners.
“However, upon careful reflection, the petition advocates for the protection of people and responsible pet ownership. The petition calls for all pit bulls to be castrated or sterilised, which would prevent the current rate of uncontrolled breeding. The petition also calls for stronger regulations for the keeping of pit bulls and other power-breed animals, requiring owners to have permits to keep such animals.”
The Pit Bull Federation of South Africa (PBFSA) said full accountability was needed.
PBFSA spokesperson Lehanda Rheeder said a stable, well-managed and welltrained pit bull owned by an experienced, responsible and dedicated owner was a fantastic pet, but the breed should not be owned by the average person.
Rheeder said the federation was expecting a mass surrendering of dogs now that the petition had gone live.
The department of agriculture didn’t respond to queries.
It is a horrible thing to have lived through but I can’t comprehend that as a child’s last experience of life Attack victim Gwen Vokes