‘Vicious’ pit bulls removed from Pretoria community

Two pit bulls said to have been terrorising residents of Kgabalatsane village, north of Pretoria, have been removed from the community following a petition by residents, Rekord North  reports.

This followed two separate attacks in which two men were injured by the dogs earlier this year.

The residents demanded that the dogs, which belong to a local businessman, be removed after the gruesome attack on the two men.

SPCA inspector Mishack Matlou confirmed this week that the two dogs were taken to a safe place following the intervention of police and the SPCA.

Residents handed over the petition, containing more than 50 signatures, to the police. In the petition, they expressed “grave concerns” regarding their own safety and that of visitors.

Matlou said residents had also written to the SPCA to complain about the dogs.

“The dogs have been taken back to an address at block AA in Soshanguve where they came from. We went to check the place where they are being kept. It is secured, the fence is proper, and they do not pose a danger to community members,” said Matlou.

The residents’ petition mentioned the attacks and requested that “all the pit bull dogs be removed before another fatality occurs”.

“The fact that the attacks took place in our community shows that nobody is safe outside of their properties in this area,” read part of the petition.

“No one is safe and it can’t go on like this. It’s rubbish,” said Kgabalatsane resident Petrus Modise.

He said the community members did not necessarily want the dogs put down.

“We just don’t want them to be here. They should be kept in a safe place.”