Durban - An 89-year-old Phoenix grandfather says he is lucky to be alive after two pit bulls mauled him as he was nearing his home, on his way back from the mosque.
Shaik Adam Hoosen, recovering at his Treadclay Road home, on Monday relived the horror of the weekend attack.
A brave neighbour who had come to his aid fought off the dogs, which were in a state of frenzy. A passing Good Samaritan also came to his aid, he said.
With eyes swollen and blue, a cut above his eyelid and head heavily bandaged, Hoosen explained how he been been walking home from the Baghdadi Masjid in Phoenix when the attack happened.
He was on a stretch of road he has come to know well over 38 years, but on Saturday night the familiar became the scene of a nightmare.
A few doors away from his home two dogs ran towards him. One leapt on his chest. He fell and tried fending them off, but they kept lashing at his head.
“I heard growling and the next minute this dog jumped on to my chest and dropped me to the ground.
“They kept snapping at me. I could only see teeth. My hands were up trying to push them off. I heard people scream in the background,” Hoosen said.
Neighbour Thara Madhoe said she thought there was a brawl on the road. But when she peered over her balcony wall she saw him on his knees.
His hands were on his face and two dogs were attacking him. “My family and I were screaming hysterically. These dogs kept coming at Adam (Hoosen). We passed him a plastic stool. I screamed Hold uncle”.
“His outstretched hand managed to grab hold of the stool leg,” Madhoe said.
Madhoe’s son-in-law, Trevor Pillay, had arrived to help. One of the dogs ran towards him.
Madhoe said she threw an umbrella and a broomstick at the dog, which Pillay grabbed and used to save himself.
“We were helpless all we could do was scream. Adam was still on his knees bleeding and contending with one dog by pushing the stool into the dog’s face. Pillay was fending off the other. More residents came on to the road and a car arrived. The dogs fled,” Madhoe said.
Neighbours picked up the bloodied Hoosen from the verge and walked him home.
His daughter-in-law, Ayesha Adam, said when they saw him they became hysterical.
He was taken to Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital. Pillay was shaken but not harmed.
Hoosen said: “I tried to fend them off. If I got one away the other attacked me. I am grateful to have brave and helpful neighbours. The person who stopped his car and helped left without leaving his details. I lost a lot of blood. I am in pain but I am fit enough to carry on.”
Hoosen has six children, 19 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Madhoe said her two grandchildren were left traumatised by the incident and afraid of their own dog.
Police spokesperson, Major Shooz Magudulela, said Phoenix police were investigating a case of keeping ferocious dogs and negligence to safeguard the animals. No arrest has been made at this stage.
The Daily News spoke to a woman at the house where neighbours believe the pit bulls had emerged from.
The woman said she was not at home on Saturday and according to her brother the dogs were tied up in the yard.
Daily News