A 67-year-old man was mauled to death by his own pit bulls on Friday, November 1 in the Eastern Cape.
The tragic incident which claimed one life took place in Dikeni, reported eNCA.
Mpumelelo Xiniwe was reportedly leading a colleague out of his house when the three pit bulls he had been breeding with for years, unexpectedly got riled up and launched a brutal and, subsequently lethal attack.
Xiniwe was strolling with Siyabulela Dayila, preparing for a burial ceremony on the following day.
Dayila, who survived the attack, reportedly attempted to save Xiniwe’s life, but it was already too late.
The dogs involved in the incident have been euthanised.
Residents in the area purportedly asked for guidance on how to effectively treat their pit bulls.
The Pit Bull Federation of South Africa (PBFSA) said the public uproar about banning the breed has brought to light several previously unresolved issues.
“The PBFSA and the Centre of Applied Pet Ethology (COAPE) have joined hands with the Department of Agriculture Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) to create a joint task team to identify short, medium and long-term practical approaches to promote safety of all people living with a pit bull and pit bull-type dogs, to reduce and prevent injuries and loss of life on all fronts,” the organisation stated.
*Jason Smith, a dog owner and lover from Westville, KwaZulu-Natal, said the difference between a friendly pit bull and a hostile one is its upbringing and care.
“It’s different from dog to dog. Some of them are brought up as cute loveable friendly doggos, others are kept as security only and never shown affection which makes the latter aggressive and unpredictable. In the end, how you care for them, nurture them, has a huge effect,” he said.
*Not his real name. Changed for privacy.
IOL