Picture: Istock
Two family pit bulls mauled a 10-year-old boy to death at his home in Gelvandale on Monday afternoon.
According to police spokesperson Priscilla Naidu, the police reported the tragic incident around 1.15pm.
Reports suggest that the boy, Storm Nuku, was in the house with the dogs and two other children, but it is unclear what triggered the dogs to attack.
When police arrived, they shot both dogs, but unfortunately Nuku had succumbed to his injuries on the scene.
Naidu said police would open an inquest docket and investigate circumstances surrounding the fatal attack.
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) inspector Salomé Bruyns told the Mossel Bay Advertiser in 2018 that irresponsible breeding has led to some pit bulls being dangerous to humans.
Bruyns said the increasing numbers of people being attacked by the powerful breed was alarming.
She said when the pit bulls are kept chained or in confined small spaces, they tend to be territorial and aggressive.
“Selective breeding involves choosing some of the animal’s natural attributes. These innate behaviours give the animal satisfaction and pleasure through the release of ‘feel-good’ hormones and endorphins which trigger euphoric feelings,” she added.
Seasoned runner René Memmel retold his ordeal to The Citizen in August, when he was accosted by two pit bulls while out on his morning run.
The East Rand man said, “I thought I was going to die”, before he was luckily saved by a man who heard his screams.
Memmel was doing his training block for the Soweto Marathon, which will take place in November.
“I was running up 12th Avenue and saw the two dogs. I knew there was [expletive]. Two pit bulls roaming the streets will make anyone nervous.
“I sort of stopped and waited to see what they were going to do. They slowly came toward me and for a moment I thought they would just sniff me and be on their way.”
Out of nowhere, the two pitbulls jumped on him in attack, one locked its jaw on his groin area and wouldn’t let go.
Memmel kept screaming and trying to fight off the two dogs.
Jarod Wentworth, heard the screams and went out to check what was going on, he grabbed a knife and started shouting at the dogs.
One of the dogs, ran and started attacking him, he was able to fight it off and they both walked off.
Additional reporting by Jacques van der Westhuyzen
NOW READ: ‘I thought I was going to die’: Runner attacked by pit bulls describes horrifying ordeal
