Durban - A 33-year-old man is in a serious condition in hospital after he was attacked by two pitbulls at Tinley Manor beach on Monday.
The man was jogging when the two dogs attacked him.
Janus van Schalkwyk, a paramedic from IPSS Medical Rescue, responded to the scene and said the incident took place before 8am.
“The victim tried to fight off the dogs and when the owner saw what was happening, he rushed to the man’s aid."
“The jogger suffered significant soft-tissue damage to his biceps and his left leg,” said Van Schalkwyk.
Once stabilised at the scene, the man was rushed to a nearby hospital for further care.
The victim’s sister declined to give her brother’s name.
“He is 33 and is in very bad condition in hospital,” the emotional woman said. She declined to comment further."
The fate of the dogs was unknown at the time of going to print.
This attack comes just days after an elderly woman was mauled by her family’s Rottweiler.
Last Thursday, the woman was walking her three dogs – the Rottweiler, a Jack Russell and a Border collie – when a fight broke out among the dogs.
When she tried to separate the dogs, she was attacked by the Rottweiler.
She sustained injuries to her arm, thigh, chest and back. One of the woman’s arteries was severely damaged during the attack.
She was taken to hospital in a serious condition and underwent emergency surgery.
Paul Herbst, IPSS Medical Rescue spokesperson, said the woman was in a stable condition and would still need to have multiple additional operations in the coming weeks.
Should a dog owner or member of the public find themselves in a situation where two or more dogs are engaged in fighting, do not interfere or try to separate the dogs, unless you are experienced in dealing with this situation, warned the Natal Rottweiler Association.
Instead, leave the dogs and call people with experience in this regard to help.
Lindsey Concer, Durban and Coastal SPCA spokesperson, advised pet owners or anyone considering taking on a new pet, of any breed, to make sure they had done as much research as possible on what was required from them to properly care for the animal.
“Training is definitely something that should be considered for dogs. Unfortunately, however prepared one is, tragedy can still strike,” Concer said.
Bernice Uys, National Rottweiler Association spokesperson, said it was difficult to comment on the reasons why any dog would do such a thing and she would need to know the complete history of the dog to assess its character.
“This is not the typical behaviour of a well-balanced Rottweiler, to which many proud Rottweiler owners can testify."
“However, one must bear in mind that Rottweilers are large, powerful dogs and, as is the case with all breeds of dogs, they require guidance and good training throughout the course of their life,” Uys said.
People who had never owned a Rottweiler previously and were considering buying or adopting one, were strongly urged to contact someone in the know to get a clear understanding of the breed, advised Uys, and what it took to make the dog a well-balanced member of your family and society.
“The rule of thumb when approaching a Rottweiler or any other breed of dog, is to always ask the owner if their dog is friendly and whether the dog would be comfortable with being touched."
“This is a simple rule that is far too often ignored. If the owner is nowhere to be seen, do not approach the dog. If the dog is a stray, call someone who has experience in handling stray dogs or your local SPCA,” Uys warned.