A pit bull on a farm close to East London is responsible for the death of a toddler who was just 15 months old.
According to the Police Spokesperson Brigadier Thembinkosi Kinana, the incident took place on Wednesday afternoon in the town of Gonubie, AlgoaFM reports.
He claims that the young child (a toddler) was interacting with the pitbull that belonged to a neighbor in Gonubie Farm at the time of the incident. At the time, a passerby was walking his dog in the vicinity of the yard, which caught the attention of the pitbull.
According to Brigadier Kinana, the dog attacked the boy after it was unsuccessful in getting out of the yard.
He claims that emergency medical services took the toddler to a nearby hospital, but the child ultimately passed away there due to the severity of his injuries.
An inquest docket has been opened, and the SPCA has been informed about it.
Pitbull petition
In the meantime, a petition started by the Sizwe Kupelo Foundation with the goal of having the pitbull breed outlawed in South Africa has received 120 000 signatures, while a petition started by opponents of this measure has received 35 551 signatures.
In response to the death of a Gqeberha boy, age 10, who was mauled by a pitbull last month, Kupelo started the petition.
According to him, there have been additional reports of pitbull attacks in Mthatha, East London, Gauteng, and Cape Town, all of which have resulted in individuals being hospitalized and struggling for their lives.
Kupelo describes the situation as a crisis that requires immediate attention.
READ MORE: Residents trample, burn pitbulls after mauling little girl
On Wednesday, the SPCA appealed to the government for financial assistance, citing the overwhelming number of dogs whose owners were turning them in.
