Durban — The National Freedom Party (NFP) has called for stricter legislation on pit bulls.
The call comes days after two pit bulls mauled a woman to death in Limpopo.
The woman, 43-year-old Melitta Sekole died after two of the dogs attacked her at Ga-Makgatho village outside Senwabarwana.
It was reported that Sekole was walking to her workplace last week when the incident occurred and later succumbed to her injuries at the Pietersburg Provincial Hospital.
NFP leader in Parliament Ahmed Munzoor Shaik Emam said that the NFP calls for more stringent legislation which either bans or places restrictions on the ownership of pit bulls as pets. This is to ensure that the attacks by pit bulls on humans cease.
He said that this follows a number of deadly attacks during the course of 2022, a year which saw a marked increase in the number of deaths as a result of pit bull attacks.
“We have a dual challenge here. On the one hand, we need to urgently stop the attacks of pit bulls on humans. These attacks are often deadly, and unprovoked. Research indicates that this is largely due to breeders breeding these dogs for aggression.
“One incentive for these breeders to do this is illegal dog-fighting rings. The other challenge is how we should regulate this particular breed, to ensure there is less incentive to breed for aggression, while owners are required to take complete responsibility for their dog and its actions,” Shaik Emam said.
He called on the Hawks to prioritise the stopping of illegal dog-fighting rings. Research on other dog breeds that were historically bred for aggression and dog fighting, such as the English bulldog, showcases that once dog fighting is stopped for good, there would be less incentive to breed for aggression, and this can be seen in the less aggressive nature of the English bulldog, which make great family pets.
“Our priority right now is to stop these attacks. Therefore, the NFP supports harsh and strict legislation in the short to medium term, to ensure we radically decrease the number of attacks. In the long term, we need the Hawks to act swiftly against these illegal fighting rings, as that is the key to a long-term solution to the challenge of deadly pit bull attacks,” Shaik Emam said.
He added that the NFP believes legislation which holds the owners directly responsible for the actions of their dog could serve as a deterrent. In addition, we need to ensure that there is a reporting system in place, whereby pit bulls which showcase aggressive behaviour can be reported, and either the dog is confiscated and euthanised by organisations such as the SPCA, or the dog and its owner are forced to undergo a mandatory training programme.
“It is entirely unacceptable that we currently have no national legislation on this issue after we have seen such a sharp increase in attacks. People are dying. We need to act swiftly, so that impact can be felt immediately,” Shaik Emam said.
He said that once Parliament has reopened, the NFP will raise this issue so that urgent legislation can be developed and implemented.
Daily News