Cape Town - The pit bull trade is booming with backyard breeders selling puppies on the road for as little as R300. The breed is in the spotlight after a pit bull which attacked a number of other smaller dogs in Sea Point was removed from its owner this week.
Experts warn that once sold, the breed frequently ends up with abusive owners who groom and train them to compete in dog-fighting rings.
“There’s been a massive explosion in the industry,” said Inspector Wendy Willson of the National SPCA’s special investigations unit.
She said there had been a rise in sales and theft of pit bulls. Owning a power breed, like the pit bull, has become a status symbol for some while the dogs are often used in fighting rings where punters gamble for large sums or expensive possessions such as cars and mobile devices.
She said she had seen cases in which children were encouraged to become involved.
“Dogfighting indicates a decay in society... It’s cultivating violence... That’s why it is so important for communities to take it seriously,” she said.
The irony, Willson said, was that the dog fought or killed only because it was trained to do so or because it had become aggressive as a result of abuse, starvation and being permanently chained.
Sometimes instinct was disrupted through cross breeding, she added.
Francois Muntingh, who rehabilitates dogs rescued from abusive homes or fighting rings has a special love for pit bulls.
“Pitbulls are probably the most human-oriented breed. They love being loved. Even after abuse,” he said.
Muntingh is Cape Town’s pit bull whisperer. He started an organisation called Guardian Angels two years ago, which rescues and rehabilitates dogs.
He has been funding the organisation with his own money and is in the process of registering it as a non-profit.
Muntingh has had many reports of puppies, particularly pit bulls, being sold on the side of the road in Cape Town.
In some instances puppies have been sold for as little as R300, he said.
Puppies are also advertised for sale on Facebook.
Muntingh said backyard breeding was common in the Western Cape and the problem was not well policed.
Guardian Angels has rescued many pit bulls over the past two years.
There were many which could not be rehabilitated and were humanely put down.
Muntingh has the scars to prove the struggles he has had.
Once rescued, the canines are given TLC for as long as necessary.
Some respond positively within a few days, while others take months.
Once the animals become accustomed to a normal home life, they are taken to a trainer for professional therapy in which they are taught to be normal domestic pets.
Problems such as food aggression are also tackled.
From there, Muntingh sets about finding the dogs new homes and he has strict criteria.
He looks at potential owners’ personalities and compares them to the personality of the dog up for adoption.
He also looks at whether potential owners are active and if there are children and other pets at the new home.
He said pit bulls are a misunderstood breed because there was a perception they were aggressive.
He said all dogs should be on a leash when taken to public spaces, unless they are in a leash-free zone.
Owners who do not use a leash should be fined.
Owners should also ensure they do their homework before getting a pit bull and undergo training on how to control their pets when necessary.
The Pit bull Federation of South Africa has a set of guidelines on Facebook on how to correctly report dog fighting.
Weekend Argus