Cape Town - Two pit bulls have been admitted into the care of the Good Hope SPCA, following another gruesome attack, this time involving an 88-year-old Bonteheuwel woman who was mauled to death after her neighbour’s dogs gained access to her backyard.
Olga Grill lived with her son who was at work when the dogs, a male and female, attacked her on Tuesday. At the time her carer had not yet arrived.
Her distraught son, Graham Woodman, 68, said: “When I came home I knocked, shouted and I knew something was wrong.
“I was going to send for my spare key, then before I went there, the neighbour called me and said she thinks she sees my mother in the yard.
“I found my mother laying here (in the backyard). I thought maybe she was raped, but she had her panties on.
I just saw blood spatters on her arm and face. I felt (her) and she was cold. Her arm’s whole muscle was gone. Then I asked what happened. Her caretaker, who always checks on my mother when I go away, said she knocked here in the morning around 10am and nobody opened. Before that a friend was here and he spoke with my mother.
“As I was still checking her, I saw a dog running out; a dog was in the house. Then I found out they tried her already; no response,” he said. Woodman said he then learnt that the dogs jumped over the fence.
Police said while the investigation into the incident is ongoing, at this stage no foul play was suspected.
“According to reports, Bishop Lavis SAPS members attended the scene where a female was attacked by pit bull dogs. The members are investigating an inquest case following an incident where the body of a 88-year-old woman was found by her son in her backyard at her residence in Loganberry Street,” said police spokesperson FC Van Wyk.
No arrests have been made in the case.
The area’s ward councillor, Angus Mckenzie said the neighbour’s two pit bull dogs gained access to Grill’s property by jumping a fence.
“The dogs managed to jump over a fairly high fence to gain access to the deceased’s property. Our deepest sympathy goes to the family and friends of the deceased after suffering this most horrific and tragic death,” he said.
The City’s law enforcement spokesperson, Wayne Dyason said they attended a dog attack complaint at about 6.30pm.
“The lady had already passed on by the time the officers arrived.
The dogs, both pit bulls, were surrendered by the owner and taken to the SPCA in Grassy Park,” he said.
According to Cape of Good Hope SPCA spokesperson Belinda Abraham the dogs – a male and female – were admitted into the care of the SPCA at about 10.30pm.
“We are deeply saddened by this incident, which once again highlights the need for the development and implementation of stronger regulations or legislation with regards to the keeping of power breeds.
“The incident is being investigated by law enforcement, who, based on their investigation outcomes, will decide on the fate of these dogs,” said Abraham.
In January, three dogs including a pit bull were removed from a house in Kuils River after a 26-year-old woman was severely mauled.
Calls to ban the breed were heightened last year with the Sizwe Kupelo Foundation launching a petition arguing that government should impose the ban on the ownership of pit bulls as pets.
Anyone with any information about the fatal incident can anonymously contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
Cape Times