The Bloemfontein Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is calling on community members to surrender any dog that might be a danger to the community or the family of its owners.

This follows after a pit bull mauled an eight-year-old boy to death at his home in Vista Park in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

According to the SPCA’s senior inspector, Reinet Meyer, the Bloemfontein SPCA will also make collection services available to any owner who does not have the means to take aggressive animals to the SPCA directly.

“The loss of life, any life, is tragic and in a preventive measure, we would like to plead with the public that aggressive animals should be surrendered to the Bloemfontein Society so that similar incidents do not occur and that even at the end of an aggressive animal’s life, it is treated with dignity and respect,” she says.

She adds that the Bloemfontein SPCA sends its condolences to the child’s family and will keep them in their thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time. “The loss of a child is something that no parent, family member, or friend has to endure, and all the loved ones have our utmost sympathy,” says Meyer.

The Bloemfontein SPCA is situated at 25 McGregor East End Bloemfontein and can be reached on 051 447 3801 or 078 322 8332.

Meanwhile, as of today, an online petition by the Sizwe Kupelo Foundation, Ban pit bulls as domestic pets in South Africa, has gathered more than 52 000 signatures.

The foundation’s Sizwe Kupelo started the petition after a 10-year-old boy from Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape was killed by his family’s pit bulls. In February, Caxton Local Media reported on the mauling to death of a 46-year-old man by his employer’s three pit bulls in Benoni on the East Rand.

“It is time that the South African government takes decisive steps and imposes a complete ban on the ownership of pit bulls as domestic animals. Such a move would prevent further attacks and unnecessary deaths. We cannot continue sending out messages of condolences for something that can easily be prevented.”

In reaction, the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) says although they do not support the outright ban of any animal breed in the country, stronger regulations are needed to govern the ownership and breeding of dangerous animals.

“This is an issue where both human and animal lives have been placed in danger by irresponsible people who lack the skills and knowledge required to handle power breeds.”

Also read: Pit bulls: Call to ban the breed