Durban 'power breed' dog owners warned amid surge in dogfighting rings

Published Mar 27, 2019

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Durban - Dog owners have been encouraged to take safety precautions following an increase in thefts amid rumours of a dog fighting ring in eThekwini.

Power breed dogs appeared to be targeted, with suspicions pointing to their use in dogfighting rings.

Nadia Hansa, of the National Council of SPCA’s special investigations unit, said dogfighting was prevalent in South Africa and was taking place in KwaZulu-Natal.

It is a fast-growing crime that has a significant impact because of its violent nature, she said.

“Dog fighting is often linked with other crimes, particularly control crimes such as woman and child abuse. Dog fighting is particularly detrimental to children, who are often exposed to this crime. In children, it erodes empathy and can lead to future violence,” Hansa said.

She said smaller dog breeds were not used for dog fighting and the use of bait dogs was very rare.

It is likely that small dogs are stolen for breeding purposes.

“The dogs are almost exclusively American pit bull terriers. However, at the less sophisticated dogfighting levels, the perpetrators may also use similar breeds such as Bull Terriers or Staffordshire Terriers.

“At this level of dog fighting, the dogs are often stolen,” she said.

Neeri Naidoo, of Phoenix Animal Care and Treatment, said there were many rumours of dog fighting amid reports of dog thefts every few days.

“We do find bodies and injuries which suggest those dogs could have been used in dog fighting,” Naidoo said.

A few years ago the organisation was made aware of children using slingshots to target dogs and some children said they were hired to steal dogs.

Verinia de Gee, the owner of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Joca, and pit bull Zeus, is breathing a sigh of relief after one of her missing dogs was returned on Tuesday after it went missing on Friday.

Joca was spotted in Chesterville and returned to De Gee.

Zeus is still missing.

De Gee broke down speaking about the agony she felt.

She said she had video footage showing four boys stealing her dogs.

“I’m extremely emotional and my heart is broken. They are part of the family,” De Gee said, sobbing.

She has had Joca for seven years and it felt like “her daughter was taken away”.

Zeus is a new addition to the family and she thinks the robbers knew the dog was expensive.

De Gee said before Joca was returned to her, the dogs were spotted on Tuesday morning in Stellawood, where the boys tried to sell them separately to two schoolboys.

“I felt that they were getting further and further away from home. I was told they were dehydrated, so they were not taking care of them,” she said.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Thulani Zwane said a case of theft was opened.

Daily News

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