The recent spate of fatal dog attacks across South Africa, with pit bulls featured in most cases, has led to drastic calls concerning this power breed. These include an immediate ban, castration and sterilisation, government licensing and handing remaining dogs over to the police for use in the K9 division.

As of today, an online petition by the Sizwe Kupelo Foundation, Ban pit bulls as domestic pets in South Africa, has gathered more than 44 400 signatures. Once it reaches the 50 000 mark, it will be handed over to the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza.

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.

Kupelo says they are calling on animal lovers and organisations to put more pressure on government to ban these animals.

“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.”

NSPCA’s view

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.”

Both the Sizwe Kupelo Foundation and the NSPCA have, in the meantime, distanced themselves from a message circulating on social media platforms claiming there is a R1 500 reward for people capturing pit bulls or reporting premises where the dogs are kept. It has been labelled as ‘a scam’.

Black market fears

According to the Pit Bull Federation of South Africa (PBFSA), an outright ban on pit bulls will not put an end to the attacks.

“The problem lies with negligent and careless owners, who will move on to the next breed. The ban would not get rid of the breed, but push it into the black market and underground operations, while opening the door to corruption.”

Tears, an animal welfare organisation, echoes the sentiments of the PBFSA, stating that banning a particular dog breed will create a vacuum and open the door for another power breed to take its place.

Instead, Tears is advocating for mandatory microchipping, registering and sterilisation of all domestic animals, state-funding of registered animal welfare public benefit organisations to provide services in under-resourced communities, and the creation of a dedicated SAPS animal protection law enforcement team to work with the NSPCA inspectors.