Gran, 81, dies in dog attack

2007-11-14 23:29

Shanaaz Eggington

Cape Town - Killer dogs have claimed the life of an elderly woman in Belhar.

Miena Williams, 81, died of her injuries at a doctor's rooms at the Belhar Medical Centre on Wednesday morning.

Her son, Moos Hansen, 45, said: "My mom bled to death. The doctor said she had a heart attack because of the shock."

Bewildered residents and police have been searching for the killer dogs.

Witnesses were unable to give a complete description of the dogs to police.

A neighbour who saw the grisly attack on Williams said: "Things happened so quickly. All I remember of the dogs is that one was light brown and the other black, with another colour mixed in."

The witnesses denied the dogs were pit bulls.

Hansen said: "The dogs have to be found as soon as possible and put down, before they injure or kill another person."

Chased them away with broomstick

Charmaine Booys, 39, Williams's neighbour, said: "Miena was feeding the dogs belonging to the people living across the street.

"I saw out of the corner of my eye that she was throwing stones at dogs. I thought they were the dogs she was feeding - that they had escaped through the gate.

"The next thing I saw, she was lying on the ground and two dogs were on top of her.

"I stormed out and chased the dogs away with a broomstick. I don't know where they went.

"Miena stumbled to her house and sat down in the garage. This was when we saw how badly she'd been bitten."

Hansen rushed his mom to the doctor, but it was in vain.

Residents of Premier Lock, where the attack took place, said they didn't know the dogs that attacked Williams.

They said Williams was fit for her age and used to patrol the streets early in the morning.

One said: "She was our own neighbourhood watch. She kept an eye on everybody's house and kids during the day.

Really loved dogs

"She picked up papers and kept the street neat. She was the one who fed her neighbours' dogs when they were away from home. We will miss her a lot."

Hansen said: "It's a real tragedy. My mom really loved dogs. She was forever feeding strays.

"But she seems to have misjudged these dogs."

- Kaapse Son