A Durban man has been seriously injured in an alleged pit bull attack which left him with multiple bite wounds and a fractured leg.
Prem Balram, spokesperson for private security company Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa), said the attack took place in Sastri Park, Phoenix, on Wednesday evening.
The 45-year-old man, according to Balram, was walking on a road when he was attacked by the animal.
“Residents contacted the Rusa Phoenix Operations Centre requesting urgent medical attention for the seriously injured pedestrian.
“According to one caller, the dog was in the vicinity and was a threat to other individuals,” said Balram.
He said security officers and paramedics were deployed to attend to the man.
“He was found on the pavement bleeding extensively from multiple bite wounds to his body and legs. He also sustained a fracture to his left leg.
“According to witnesses, the dog involved in the attack was a pit bull, which fled.”
Balram said the dog was not found and the seriously injured man was stabilised before being transported to hospital.
Lobby group the Sizwe Kupelo Foundation, which started a campaign to ban pit bulls as domestic animals after several attacks in recent years, handed a petition containing nearly 140,000 signatures to agriculture minister Thoko Didiza in April.
The petition on Change.org calls for an immediate ban “following years of vicious attacks on innocent citizens, including young children”.
“The call to ban pit bulls in South Africa comes as countries like Russia, Finland, Denmark, the UK, Portugal, parts of Germany, parts of China, parts of Brazil and parts of Australia, among a host of countries, have either banned or put restrictions on ownership of the breed or its importation.”
Foundation founder and patron Sizwe Kupelo called on the government to follow suit.
“The defence by pit bull lovers that it is how you raise the dog does not hold water. So many people, including joggers, have been attacked and killed by pit bulls.
“It is time the government takes decisive steps and imposes a complete ban on the ownership of pit bulls as domestic animals. Such a move would prevent further attacks and unnecessary deaths. We cannot continue sending out messages of condolences for something that can easily be prevented.”
The department of agriculture, land reform and rural development announced recently it would conduct comprehensive DNA analysis of pit bull and pit bull-type dogs to possibly identify what has caused them to become problematic.
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Durban man in serious condition after alleged pit bull attack
Image: Reaction Unit SA
A Durban man has been seriously injured in an alleged pit bull attack which left him with multiple bite wounds and a fractured leg.
Prem Balram, spokesperson for private security company Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa), said the attack took place in Sastri Park, Phoenix, on Wednesday evening.
The 45-year-old man, according to Balram, was walking on a road when he was attacked by the animal.
“Residents contacted the Rusa Phoenix Operations Centre requesting urgent medical attention for the seriously injured pedestrian.
“According to one caller, the dog was in the vicinity and was a threat to other individuals,” said Balram.
He said security officers and paramedics were deployed to attend to the man.
“He was found on the pavement bleeding extensively from multiple bite wounds to his body and legs. He also sustained a fracture to his left leg.
“According to witnesses, the dog involved in the attack was a pit bull, which fled.”
Balram said the dog was not found and the seriously injured man was stabilised before being transported to hospital.
Lobby group the Sizwe Kupelo Foundation, which started a campaign to ban pit bulls as domestic animals after several attacks in recent years, handed a petition containing nearly 140,000 signatures to agriculture minister Thoko Didiza in April.
The petition on Change.org calls for an immediate ban “following years of vicious attacks on innocent citizens, including young children”.
“The call to ban pit bulls in South Africa comes as countries like Russia, Finland, Denmark, the UK, Portugal, parts of Germany, parts of China, parts of Brazil and parts of Australia, among a host of countries, have either banned or put restrictions on ownership of the breed or its importation.”
Foundation founder and patron Sizwe Kupelo called on the government to follow suit.
“The defence by pit bull lovers that it is how you raise the dog does not hold water. So many people, including joggers, have been attacked and killed by pit bulls.
“It is time the government takes decisive steps and imposes a complete ban on the ownership of pit bulls as domestic animals. Such a move would prevent further attacks and unnecessary deaths. We cannot continue sending out messages of condolences for something that can easily be prevented.”
The department of agriculture, land reform and rural development announced recently it would conduct comprehensive DNA analysis of pit bull and pit bull-type dogs to possibly identify what has caused them to become problematic.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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Image: Reaction Unit SA
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