SPCA admits dog crisis in Philippi

2011-07-13 08:45

Maygene de Wee, Die Burger

Cape Town – Two children who were attacked on Sunday afternoon in the Sweet Home Farm squatter’s camp in Philippi are recuperating well at home.

The dog, which was owned by a neighbour of Ivile Ntlanwini, 4, and Asivikeke Rorarwana, 4, was meanwhile removed by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

Asivikeke’s aunt, Zodwa Fente, said the two children were playing in the street when they were attacked.

The dog bit both children in the face, apparently attacking them when they wanted to play with the animal’s puppies.

Fente said another neighbour tried to get the dogs away from the children. The bitch wouldn’t let go and was beaten with a stick.

The children were taken to the Hanover Park clinic.

Fente said the children’s parents were at a community meeting - where the problem of stray dogs and dogs without supervision was being discussed - at the time of the attack.

Asivikeke’s mother, Nothando Rorarwana, said on Tuesday her daughter was now too scared to play outside.

Both children’s parents said the owner of the dog had said nothing about the incident.

Allen Perrins, director of the Cape SPCA, said the two incidents in Sweet home Farm were unusual.

Mr Allen Perrins, director of the Cape SPCA, said the attacks in Sweet Home Farm are unusual. “We have to admit there is a crisis in Sweet Home Farm. We picked up more than 12 dogs on Monday because we feared for their lives.”

After the attacks, the community threatened to kill all dogs in the area.

Perrins said the SPCA would begin an awareness campaign so that residents had more information about how to care for their pets.

He said the dog that had attacked the children would not be put down. “We hope to find a good and safe home for the mother and her litter.”