SEBOKENG. – The family of a two-year-old girl from Polokong in Sebokeng is still reeling in shock after she and two other kids were viciously attacked and bitten by two Pitbull Terriers at a neighbor’s house on Tuesday, 04 July.
It is alleged that the dog cage was not closed properly and as the kids were busy playing in the yard, the dogs managed to escape and attack the kids.
Three kids were rushed to the Sebokeng Hospital for medical care after they were injured by the Pitbull. The two-year-old sustained injuries on the head, back, upper body, and legs. She was stitched several times.
The grandmother, Marygold Bottoman 48, could not hold back her tears. She said she is grateful that her granddaughter survived and that she is still alive.
“Our kids always play at that house; this has never happened. I was not even aware that my neighbor owns Pitbulls. I heard my other grandchild screaming outside and when I rushed to the scene, I saw the pit bull attacking my granddaughter and trying to pull her to its cage.
Community members used stones to try and get the dog away from her and when the dog finally let her go, it attacked another child. A brave neighbor managed to save that child from the Pitbull but not before it bit his hand.”
Mother Cardo Bottoman (26) said she is devastated by the incident because she feels like her daughter’s face has changed following the incident.
“My child is in constant pain. This incident has traumatized all of us,” she said.
The SPCA Vereeniging & Vanderbijlpark manager, Marlien de Clerk says both the dogs were humanely euthanized after the owner willingly signed the dogs over to the SPCA.
“The SAPS officials on the scene phoned the Vereeniging & Vanderbijlpark SPCA to come and collect two Pitbull Terriers after the dogs attacked a child after they escaped from their cage.”
According to De Clerk, most attacks happen because dogs are unsocial because the dogs are kept in cages or on chains.
“It is not against the law to own a Pitbull and the government has not implemented any laws pertaining to this breed. The mandate of the SPCA is to prevent cruelty to animals. However, the local municipality in each town is responsible for complaints regarding stray animals. The SPCA is mandated to act in terms of welfare concerns related to animal cruelty. The SPCA has no jurisdiction in terms of the Municipal by-laws.”
De Clerk advises that animal-related complaints be directed to the local Municipality or Police.
“If a dog were to attack a person, a case can be opened at the local police station by the victim in terms of the Animal Matters Amendment Act No 42 of 1993 in order to claim medical costs and damages and to request the Magistrate to issue an order regarding the dog in question. If an animal was attacked by someone else’s dog, then the owner can lay a charge of damage to property at the local police station in terms of the Criminals Procedure Act No 51 of 1977 and could request that veterinary costs, damages could be paid, as well as requesting that a decision is made by the court regarding the dog,” she said.
