On Saturday afternoon, an eight-year-old boy became another statistic in SA.
Olebongeng Mosime was playing in his yard in Vista Park in Bloemfontein with his grandmother and sister when his neighbour’s pit bull escaped from its enclosure, jumped over the fence and mauled him to death.
His grandmother has described how the animal hunted like a lion before pouncing on the child.
Canine behavioural experts say pit bulls are considered dangerous because statistically they kill more people than any other breed of dog.
Research shows pit bulls were developed as fighting dogs by genetically selecting those dogs that were inclined to become very easily triggered to grab, shake and kill other animals, including other dogs.
Pit bulls have little history of being bred as pets and so still retain a strong propensity to go straight from looking at something to grabbing it, shaking it and ripping it to pieces — what the people who designed them wanted them to do.
Russia, Finland, Denmark, UK, Portugal and parts of Germany, China, Brazil and Australia, are among a host of countries that have either banned or put restrictions on ownership of the breed — some as far back as 30 years ago — or its importation.
The prohibition and restrictive clauses are aimed at safeguarding human life because of their predilection for fighting and unpredictable behaviour.
In SA, where fatal attacks or severe mauling incidents involving pit bulls are increasing far too frequently, the calls for an intervention from government have not yet been heard.
In September, after the death of 10-year-old Storm Nuku, killed by his family’s pit bulls in Gqeberha, the Sizwe Kupelo Foundation wrote to police minister Bheki Cele, health minister Dr Joe Phaahla and agriculture minister Thoko Didiza requesting an intervention.
Over 50,000 South Africans signed a petition calling for the ban of the breed (pit bulls).
More than 50,000 South Africans signed a petition calling for the ban of the breed.
While the foundation called for the castration of male pit bulls and the sterilisation of female pit bulls, those who supported their cause begged government to remove “the unpredictable dogs” from all SA homes.
Naturally pit bull owners have balked at the proposals, suggesting instead the Animal Protection Act of 1993 isn’t acknowledged or applied by law enforcement.
They are calling for a database of all owners of the breed or cross-breed.
The National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said at first glance, the petition may appear to be outrageous, especially to pit bull owners, but upon careful reflection, the petition advocates for the protection of people and responsible pet ownership.
‘The pit bull’s greatest enemy is misinformation’ — Pit Bull Federation of SA
The petition also calls for stronger regulations for the keeping of pit bulls and other power-breed animals, requiring owners to have permits to keep these animals.
If the breed has killed two children in less than six weeks, shouldn’t there be regulations on owing a pit bull like there are regulations on gun ownership?
Competence, proven confinement with stipulations around punitive measures for failure to comply are some issues that should be looked at.
According to the Animals Protection Act, agriculture minister Thoko Didiza has the authority to promulgate new regulations in terms of the petition.
However, the conversation has not gone further than an acknowledgment of receipt of the foundation’s letter.
Civil society has made the call — it is now up to the SA Law Reform Commission (SALRC) to step in and advise the department on a framework that provides conditions under which pit bulls or any other potentially dangerous dogs are to be kept.
It is under this framework that the definition of violations and penalties must be clearly set out. The framework must also be enforced by a unit that has eyes on the ground and the power to act.
It is this framework that will protect children, like eight-year-old Olebogeng Mosime and Storm Nuku, in a society already fraught with so many obstacles from violence to sexual assault and bullying to poverty — stacked against them.
Our children deserve this protection.
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