Cape Town - A Cape Town man stabbed his neighbour’s pit bull seven times after the animal jumped over his fence, ran into their house and attacked their small terrier.
The neighbour says he had to act quickly because his 10-year-old brother was in the same room and he feared the dog would attack the child as well.
But his bravery has not been met kindly by the pit bull’s owners, who have now laid a charge of animal cruelty against him.
Lambo’s owners Margaret Rodrigues and Penny Lezar, 60, insists the man did not have to kill their pet.
The neighbour and his family, who lives in Disa Street, Sandrift in Milnerton, asked not to be identified.
He says the pit bull often jumped over the 1.7 metre high vibracrete fence.
They say they had warned Lambo’s owner several times, especially after he bit their two dogs – Mojo, a Siberian Husky, and Turbo the terrier.
The latest “attack” took place on Friday, March 11, which the man says left little Turbo with a deep wound in his neck.
“He ran into the house and dragged Turbo down the passage, Mojo was lying on the bed,” the man explains.
“My brother was inside the house and was around the dog, all I thought of was the child.
“I didn’t want to kill or harm him. I took the knife and stabbed him to get him off Turbo. I don’t feel good about this.
“I went to the police in February to lay a complaint and they said the dog can be removed, but we warned [the owners].”
But Margaret and Penny say Lambo was a fun-loving, well-trained animal who wouldn’t hurt a fly.
Margaret left Lambo, a show dog, with Penny after she moved into a flat: “This is animal cruelty, to stab a dog seven times.”
Penny says she asked her neighbours to hose Lambo down if he caused trouble.
“Lambo was wrong to jump over the wall, but he didn’t harm those dogs,” she said.
“He was a loving dog who wouldn’t kill anyone.
“They knew we told them to open the tap or hose to scare him off because he was afraid of water.”
They say Lambo died three days later from his injuries.
Daily Voice