Experts in the field of dogs and their behaviours have given insight into power breeds following a number of attacks across the country.
At Red Cross Children’s Hospital, more than 120 children were treated for dog bites between 2021 and 2022, with 20% being admitted to hospital. Some 69% were between the ages of five and 12 years.
According to the hospital’s 2021/2022 report, 48% of dog bites occur inside the home, 33% at other homes and in public. It also said boys were 1.5 times more likely to be bitten, compared to girls.
The data further reveals that 122 children between the ages of five and 12 years were treated for dog bites, while 20% were admitted to hospital. Children from birth to four years were also treated for incidents.
Tygerberg Hospital treated 17 people for dog bites last year.
One of the latest victims has been Ronel Lewis of Kleinvlei, a mom of four who is 12-weeks pregnant.
Lewis lives in the Kleinvlei Melton Rose community and is known for gardening in the Penhill area. Her aunt, Louise Dowries, said Lewis was devastated by the attack and that she had also lost an ear.
Lewis underwent surgery for the second time this week.
“She is stable, in a lot of pain and underwent her second operation, and is preparing to give her statement over to the detective. They are unable to say anything right now,” Dowries said.
The young woman was attacked by three dogs, one of which was a pit bull. The two others were Rottweiler cross-breeds.
The dogs were removed and the owner is facing a charge in terms of the animal keeping by-law.
Experts are calling for the animal protection act to be enforced This will compel owners to treat their dogs humanely, rather than keeping them on a chain, breeding them for fighting, or keeping them in a confined space which may trigger violent attacks.
Their plea comes after the Sizwe Kupelo Foundation handed over a petition with 138 358 signatures to ban pit bulls as domestic pets.
The petition was received by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development who confirmed last week that it would consider a meeting with all the stakeholders.
The date of the meeting will be decided after this week.
Agriculture Minister Thoko Didiza has the authority to declare new regulations regarding the Animal Protection Act.
Animal Welfare Society of South Africa spokesperson Allan Perrins said pit bulls were understood in terms of their behaviour, adding that much discipline and compassion were needed to own them.
“Pit bulls are fast learners and surprisingly easy to train.They are an eager-to-please breed and react well to positive reinforcement. Early socialisation is a non-negotiable. This requires time and commitment by the owner.
“Desensitisation to various stimuli is as important as training.
“Pit bulls are frequently misunderstood and it is common cause that they suffer more at the hand of man than other dog breeds. They do not have locked jaws. They do not snap without any reason, no dog does. They can be less tolerant of other dogs and that is why it is important to sterilise, socialise and train them.”
He added that pit bulls didn’t rate among the top-10 strongest breeds in the world and they do not have the strongest bite force.
“Pit bulls are not unpredictable. They are grossly misunderstood and often victims of untenable circumstances. If not for the negative publicity surrounding the breed, pit bulls would just be dogs.”
He added his viewpoints on power breeds and talk of banning them as pets, saying it didn’t work internationally.
“Breed-specific legislation (BSL) has been proven to be ineffectual. Recent studies on the effectiveness of bans that target dogs based on their appearance or assumed breed, have concluded that the bans are entirely ineffective and do not reduce dog bites or improve public safety.
“BSL negatively impacts responsible owners and their dogs, while it does nothing to address all breeds of aggressive dogs, irresponsible owners, backyard breeding and the lack of law enforcement of by-laws and the Animals Protection Act.
Another expert in the field is Marizanne Kemp Ferreria said she doesn’t believe a dog is born aggressive.
“The concern is to keep the people safe. We need serious pet education, and the Animal Protection Act needs to be enforced… It is no secret that a pit bull can cause huge harm, but so can a Rottweiler and a German Shepherd. or a boerboel.
“There are horrific stories of people who lost their lives and limbs because of these dogs attacking them. Pit bulls are terriers so they have a shorter fuse than a husky or Labrador. Your terrier is your Yorkie or a Jack Russell; they are fighters and hunters but their bite is not as detrimental as the pit bull.”