Dogs taken to SPCA after more attacks in Westenburg
WARNING: GRAPHIC PHOTO. Other incidents of attacks by dogs, including that on two 11-year-old girls in the area were also reported.
POLOKWANE – Owners in the city are once again urged to take serious their responsibility of guarding their pets, following a number of residents who were attacked in recent weeks.
According to municipal bylaws, dogs may not roam freely or cause a nuisance to others but sporadic attacks by dogs that are not fenced in, still occur.
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Two weeks ago, a local man spent a week in hospital after two pit-bull terriers attacked him in Westenburg one evening.
A nearby resident came to the man’s rescue. A case was opened with the police, and the investigating officer told Polokwane Observer that an investigation is underway as to who the dogs’ owner is.
The two dogs were, however, handed over to the SPCA, manager Selma Landman confirmed.
This was after they attacked another man on the day it was decided it was best to have them removed, a man who claimed to be the owner, told Polokwane Observer.
“Although I keep my dogs secure, when I am not at home, other members of the household sometimes leave the gates open,” he added.
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Other incidents of attacks by dogs, including that on two 11-year-old girls in the same area, were also reported.
Meanwhile, laws regulating dangerous dog breeds have been updated in recent times.
It is now mandatory for owners of certain breeds, such as pit bulls and boerboels, to have their dogs registered with the authorities and to comply with additional safety measures, including the use of muzzles in public places.
By not doing so, owners will face stricter penalties such as fines and even imprisonment. Another change is the introduction of stricter regulations for the breeding and selling of dogs, with an emphasis on ensuring that puppies are not bred under inhumane conditions.
Meanwhile, Landman advised dog owners against letting dogs roam freely, citing similar reasons as those mentioned in the country’s laws and the Animal Protection Act.
