Kempton Park boy (11) left injured after dog attack
“My child is traumatised from the ordeal. He didn't sleep after the attack and I think he'll be scared for a long time.”
A Kempton Park mother is seeking action after a dog bit her 11-year-old son leaving him traumatised.
The young boy was attacked on the afternoon of March 16 along Patridge Avenue.
Carol * said her two sons, aged 11 and 10, were walking past a house, and the dog was inside the property at the time.
“My sons said as they walked past the house, the dog managed to slip through the palisade fence and chased them.
“My boys were scared and ran. The dog caught up to my sons and bit my oldest son,” said Carol.
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Carol added that an eyewitness to the attack said they split up when the dog attacked.
“She told me that the dog ran after my oldest son. The dog bit him once, and my son managed to get away, but then the dog went after him again and bit him a second time,” she said.
According to Carol, the eyewitness began screaming and shouting, which deterred the dog.
“She told me it was not the first time the dog escaped from the property and chased a child. When I heard that a dog bit my son I was terrified. We often hear of children killed by dogs.”
Carol said she went to the house where the dog escaped from to speak to the owner.
“When I arrived at the house, the children standing outside said their mother was not around.”
Carol said the owner of the dog later came to her house to have a talk.
“I asked if her dog was vaccinated but she could not give me a clear answer. She said something about her husband being away and left. Surely her husband could not leave with their dog’s vaccination certificate,” Carol said.
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She added that the dog’s owner returned later with her brother.
“Her brother asked me if I wanted trouble and that sounded like a threat to me.”
Carol said she opened a case at the Kempton Park Police Station.
She also contacted Kempton Park SPCA and was told inspectors would liaise with the investigating officer to determine whether the dog would be collected.
“My child is traumatised from the ordeal. He didn’t sleep after the attack and I think he’ll be scared for a long time.”
The Kempton Express made multiple attempts to get a comment from the dog owner.
Requests were made through phone calls and WhatsApp messages.
At the time of going to print, the owner of the dog did not provide comment.
* Not her real name.
