Cape Town - A female pit bull bore the brunt of the ongoing street fights between child gangs in Manenberg this week.
Terrified residents captured video footage of the latest street fight where youngsters hurled stones and attacked each other amid rivalries between child gangs in the precinct.
A 45-year-old mom, who asked not to be named as she fears for her safety, said she rushed to the animal’s aid after being alerted to the videos of the dog coming under attack.
“The incident happened in Elsieskraal Road, where one of the stone-throwing gangs arrived on the turf of the rivals with the pit bull.
In the fight, the rivals got hold of the dog and stoned it to death and flung it in the air.
“I got in touch with the lady who made the video and rushed down in my car to see if I could save the animal but the fight was still ongoing as they waited for police to arrive.
“The children had stones, knives and there was even a gun. When the two police vans arrived I rushed to the dog but she was already dead.
“I picked her up to wrap her in a towel when a boy, who I estimate to have been about 17 years old, told me it was his dog. I informed him that I was taking the animal away. I was so traumatised.”
Animal Welfare of South Africa (AWS SA) spokesperson Allan Perrins said along with police and law enforcement officers they responded to an emergency call concerning a dog being stoned.
“The report indicated that the dog was being stoned, savagely beaten and abused – allegedly by new gang initiates who descended in their droves on their rivals in Elsieskraal. It appears as though the dog, an adult female pit bull cross, accompanied the rival gangsters to Manenberg, where she bore the brunt of the vicious attack.”
He said in their investigation they were told by a witness that the animal was relentlessly pelted with rocks and bricks and mercilessly tossed into the air until she collapsed in the road, leaving her at the mercy of the gangsters.
“The situation apparently escalated quickly and it was too dangerous for any bystanders to step in and save the dog. This feeling of helplessness left the complainant traumatised and heartbroken at what she had just been forced to witness but even more determined to summon help.
“It took our team under five minutes to scramble, but sadly by the time they arrived the dog had succumbed to her injuries.
“As part of our evidence-gathering process we conducted an autopsy, which concluded that the cause of death was multiple contusions, lacerations and a severely fractured skull,” Perrins said.
He added that the video evidence has been shared with the police in the hopes of catching the perpetrators.
